Cheating: The Ethical Dilemma All Junior Officers Face

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I. Introduction of Topic
The United States Navy is full of rich history, traditions and excellent sailors. To be successful, sailors must overcome challenges and obstacles throughout their career. Though some challenges are easier to overcome than others, one obstacle that seems prevalent among junior officers is cheating. In the last five years, cases of cheating have been reported in greater frequency ever before in the Navy. Though all enlisted and commissioned sailors face this ethical dilemma, it is important to understand how junior officers must face this challenge head on. They must make it their duty to stop cheating, because if it is not, it will continually get worse.
The word cheat is defined as “to break a rule or law usually to gain an advantage at something; to violate rules dishonestly; a dishonest person; to practice fraud or trickery; to be sexually unfaithful” (Cheat, Merriam-Webster). Based on this definition, the following actions are considered cheating: copying information from others to get ahead, falsifying logs and/or records, lying, distributing answers to a test, adultery, stealing, and any acts which consciously deceive. When a sailor is involved in any of these examples, their character, integrity, and ethics are brought into question. It is never morally right for citizens, much less a member of the Navy, to cheat or condone cheating in the United States Navy.
Junior officers rank from Ensign to Lieutenant Commander, O-1 to O-4. Within the first 10 years of their career, junior officers will make thousands of decisions. Because of this, an important part of their duty is to understand that all of their decisions must be made with the highest level of integrity and ethics. Though some situ...

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...vestigation. Complete details have not yet been made public.

References
Merriam-Webster. "Cheat." Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2014.
Cloud, David. “Navy Investigating a Cheating Scandal of its Own.” Navy Times. N.p., 04 Feb. 2014. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.
Fellman, Sam. "Navy Fires Hospital Ship's Top Officer, Says He Lied on PFA." Navy Times. N.p., 12 Sept. 2013. Web. 04 Feb. 2014.
Greenert, Admiral Jonathan and Richardson, Admiral John. “Press Briefing Transcript about Navy Investigation into Cheating Allegations at Nuke Reactor School.” United States Navy. The Pentagon, Washington D.C. 04 Feb. 2014. Press Conference.
Faram, Mark. “Squadron Commander Fired After Records Probe.” Navy Times. N.p., 17 Apr. 2012. Web. 04 Feb. 2014.
Myers, Meghann. “Report: Pilot Error, Training Deficiency Caused Jet Crash.” Navy Times. N.p., 14 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Mar. 2014.

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