Integrity is a virtue the military values highly. After all, members of the armed services defend the country's ideals. Therefore, each branch of the military sets standards for morality that are higher than those of the general public. This is because of the serious responsibilities service members have and because they represent the United States by their actions.
Because of the weight the military gives to moral and ethical behavior, certain actions fall under the heading of "conduct unbecoming an officer." Often, items included under this heading are those for which civilians would not receive punishment although others may lose respect for civilians whose conduct is unbecoming. In the military, however, that loss of respect can go deep. In fact, if you are facing a charge of conduct unbecoming an officer, your military future may be on the line.
