ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on three distinct areas of ethics education in the United States Air Force. First, the unique challenges of just war ethics education in the Air Force. Second, the nature of military professional and unique professional obligations as they manifest themselves in the Air Force in the form of difficulties in thinking of Air Force Officership as a profession in ethical terms. Finally, the more routine ethical issues that are not especially military-specific but are common to all large hierarchical organizations. Cultures define the most salient ethical challenges in terms of the ethics and conduct of war, professionalism, and the internal ethical questions that preoccupy the services. In that period, it would be virtual nonsense to speak of ethics education in the Army Air Corps in areas of just war. Increasingly sophisticated weaponized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and large airframes capable of delivering many, many weapons seem attractive and more economical alternatives.
