LESSON 4
ETHICS, STANDARDS, AND ESTABLISHED PRACTICES
Section I. GENERAL
4-1.
INTRODUCTION
The veterinary food inspection career field, like any other career field, has
principles of right or good conduct on the job. There are also established practices and
customs related to personal behavior that affect job performance. These ethical
principles, standards of conduct and established practices, provide guidelines as to what
is acceptable to the US Army. Over the years, in our country, there has developed a
deep respect for a government of law, responsive to the desires of the people.
Government employees, both military and civilian, have felt it to be of utmost importance
to maintain a high level of public trust and confidence in the government. This lesson is
an attempt to show some practical applications of this concept. Executive Order 11222,
8 May 1965, states: "Where government is based on the consent of the governed, every
citizen is entitled to have complete confidence in the integrity of his government. Each
individual member of the Armed Forces and each employee of the government must help
to earn and must honor that trust by his own integrity and conduct in all official actions."
4-2.
CODE OF ETHICS
A code of ethics is written in more general language than a standard of conduct
and is usually short. It reminds the reader of generally held values. There is an official
Code of Ethics for Government Service. A poster of this code of ethics must be publicly
displayed in appropriate areas of federal offices. This includes all military installations
and facilities where at least 20 persons are employed as civilian employees. The Code of
Ethics for Government Service summarizes the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. Every
person in government service is asked to put loyalty to the highest moral principles and to
country above loyalty to persons, party, or government department, and to uphold the
constitution, the laws, and the regulations of the US in an efficient, fair and impartial
manner. Every government employee is asked to be always conscious that public office
is a public trust.
4-3.
AR 600-50
a. General. The AR 600-50, Standards of Conduct for Department of Army (DA)
Personnel, is the basic regulation that applies to all Army personnel, both military and
civilian. It is based on the Ethics in Government Act of l978, which applies to all federal
government personnel. The AR 600-50 includes instructions concerning forms that must
be filled out by some key personnel. It outlines, in legal language, specific details of
employee responsibilities and conduct. References are made to various public laws and
their interpretations.
MD0702
4-2