A few articles across the internet have posited that CAPT Owen Honors, recently fired skipper of the USS Enterprise, was simply a product of the “military culture.”

As a retired Navy officer, my perspective is that Honors was acting as the custom of the time allowed. If the Navy wants to change its culture, it needs to get the word out on what is to be changed and only discipline future violations.

That’s an interesting perspective from several angles.  It seems reasonable that if you permit Sailors (or anyone else) to conduct themselves after a certain fashion, then that conduct becomes “acceptable,” or it is at least perceived to be so.  In truth, “allowing” or failing to discipline or prosecute conduct does not inherently make it right, thought it can understandably create a culture of confusion.

In addition, as the writer said above, if the Navy (or the rest of the military) wants to “change its culture,” it does need to “get the word out.”  The military already has standards of conduct, as well as the cliché that a “higher standard” of conduct is required for military service.  The nature of the military environment, however, has generated a subculture that runs counter to that expectation.

As already noted here, Honors’ conduct may have even been tame by most fighter pilot standards.  “Cursing like a Sailor” is a truism; tattoo parlors and strip clubs line the streets leaving US military bases around the world because of the expectations of how those troops will act.  This culture is even related to why this site was started — it is sometimes a “hostile” environment to those who want to live out their faith as Christians.

Ultimately, the conduct of the men and women serving in today’s military — whether they are on video or not — is a reflection of their moral character.  Many people missed the subtlety of CAPT Honor’s “alter egos.”  The arrogant and politically incorrect fighter pilot and the nerdy SWO played roles the “professional” Captain did not.  Character is not quite so discrete, however.  Everyone has a moral character, and it cannot be turned on or off at will; it permeates everything a person does or says.

The military needs personnel of high “moral character” — one of the few abstract terms of conduct that remains on recruitment questionnaires.  Unfortunately, it struggles when it tries to govern the moral character of its troops.  When Congress said homosexuality was inconsistent with the standard of conduct required for military service, the military was called “bigoted” for being too restrictive.  When the military culture allowed a Navy commander to use the “f-word,” it was called “bigoted” for not being restrictive enough.

The firing of CAPT Honors may curb some politically incorrect modes of humor within the military culture for a time, but it is unlikely it will alter that culture in the long run.  That’s one reason a Christian serving in the military, or desiring to do so, needs to be prepared to influence the culture, rather than be influenced by it.