ABSTRACT
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading military academies. The Academy reopened after the Second World War in 1947 as the sole Army initial officer training establishment and it set itself the primary aim of, ‘The development of the cadet’s character, his powers of leadership, and a high standard of individual and collective discipline’ (Shepperd 1980, 159). The current mission statement of the Academy is, ‘Through military training and education, to develop the qualities of leadership, character and intellect demanded of an Army Officer on first appointment’ (The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst website). These statements make a number of ethical points. Character and leadership are required of a student officer and these of course have strong ethical dimensions. The Academy’s aim is to develop students’ ethical and moral strength so that they can cope with the incredibly demanding circumstances of leading soldiers in battle.
