Chaplains and world religions instructors gathered at the Maneuver Center of Excellence Donovan Research Library for their annual Combined Arms Center Chaplains Instructors Ethics Conference where they studied a different focus on their mission to help Soldiers, Feb. 22-23.

Chaplains, known for providing spiritual guidance and serving as ethics instructors, devoted two days to developing ways to improve their ability to deliver ethics, leadership development, and Soldier resilience instructions to the force.

Chaplain’s conference highlights ethical character development
U.S. Army Chaplain (Maj.) Jared Vineyard ethics instructor, command and tactics directorate, Maneuver Center of Excellence, studies from the code of the warrior book to help sharpen his understanding of military ethics during the Combined Arms Center Instructors Ethics Conference on Feb. 22 – 23 at the Maneuver Center of Excellence Donovan Research Library, Fort Benning Ga. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Alexander Gago ) VIEW ORIGINAL

“We are here at the Maneuver Center of Excellence exploring better ways to connect the instruction of ethics and character from the classroom to training such as field training exercises and various capstone exercises,” said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Seth H. George, command deputy, Combined Arms Center.

The conference aims to capture different facets of ethics and character development.

“We desire to implement ethical decision points in real-time training as part of character development that creates transformational leadership,” said George. “We discussed how to connect principles of education to practical instruction through scenario-based ethics training in the classroom.”

Ethics instructions go beyond just the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless, service, honor, integrity, and personal courage.

“It is vital to all Soldiers at all times in all places to think ethically about all decisions,” said Chaplain (Maj.) Jared Vineyard, ethics instructor, Command and Tactics Directorate, Maneuver Center of Excellence. “We, as chaplains, get to help in that moral character formation, which is a huge privilege and honor.”