USAF Professionalism & The Profession of Arms

Chapter 1: Professionalism

• Professionalism is engaging in something specific as a main occupation, showing competence, assurance, and skill.
• In the USAF, professionalism involves trust, loyalty, dignity, and personal commitment.
• Airmen are to be dependable, responsible, and good wingmen, with respect at the core.
• The USAF is a Total Force using the abilities of officers, enlisted, and civilians across all components.
• Being a Total Force means the USAF is values-based, mission-focused, and people-oriented.
• Members of the USAF should have the courage to take appropriate risks.
• Airmen value everyone's contribution and motivate each other.
• Also have a duty to develop and empower leaders while honoring and respecting all.
• Stronger alliances make the USAF stronger.
• The USAF’s mission and inherent responsibility to the nation requires members to adhere to higher standards.

The Profession of Arms

• Requires placing the needs of service and country before personal concerns.
• Every Airman swears to support and defend the U.S. Constitution.
• Sacred trust received from the American people goes beyond anything else in society.
• Excellence in the justified application of lethal military force is what distinguishes the profession of arms, from others.
• Members of the profession must be willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

Air Force Core Values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence In All We Do

• They are consistent standards used to evaluate the ethical climate of all USAF organizations.
• In the cauldron of war, core values are the beacons that light the path of professional conduct and the highest ideals.
• Airmen should be motivated to integrity, service, and excellence as essential moral principles.
• Core values shape the USAF’s convictions about personal character, commitment, and service.
• They form a bond among all professional Airmen, past and present.
• Virtues define each of the core values, leading to honorable thought and action.
• USAF professionalism is a shared belief in honorable standards.
• Integrity includes honesty, courage, and accountability.
• Honesty requires evaluating performance against standards and reporting findings accurately.
• Keeping one's word unquestionable preserves trust and respect within the Air Force.
• Courage empowers Airmen to take risks, make unpopular decisions, and admit mistakes.
• Accountability implies responsibility, transparency, and ownership of actions.
• Service Before Self is the dedication to duty, even at risk to one's life.
• Airmen are practitioners of the profession of arms, securing the nation and its people.
• This demands placing service and country before oneself.
• Sacrifices and a mindset for service are required.
• The virtues of Service Before Self include duty, loyalty, and respect.
• Duty means performing what is required, according to laws, the DOD, and the USAF.
• Airmen who embody Service Before Self sacrifice to accomplish the mission.
• Loyalty means commitment to the nation, the USAF, and fellow service members.
• Devotion to leaders involves trust and following decisions.
• Leaders show loyalty by respecting and caring for those who serve.
• Respect requires all to honor the USAF as well as others by aligining one's words with actions.
• Excellence In All We Do provides a sustained passion for continuous improvement and innovation.
• Does not mean we demand perfection in everything from everyone.
• It means we continuously advance our craft and increase our knowledge as Airmen.
• Means seeking opportunities for developmental education while remaining in physical, mental, moral, spiritual and emotional shape,
• To enhance professional competencies, and are diligent to maintain their job skills.
• Harnesses ingenuity, expertise of all Airmen with the mindset of innovation and a continued commitment to anticipate and embrace change.
• The virtues of Excellence In All We Do include mission, discipline, and teamwork.
• Our work areas, our processes, and our interpersonal interactions must be undeniably professional and positive.

Code of Ethics

• As a USAF member, the highest standards of conduct and integrity must be practiced.
• Ethics systematically reflects on values to enable action according to beliefs.
• Airmen must develop a code of ethics exceeding legal requirements as well.
• A commitment to integrity directs others such.
• Personal values must not supersede USAF's values.
• Ethical code is in core values, oaths, the Airman's Creed, Professions of Arms etc.
• All choices should align decisions regarding mission, personal life, or peers.
• Aspirational values embedded in code must clarify accepted behavior.
• Public service requires loyalty to both the Constitution and to ethics.
• Holding conflicting financial interests is prohibited