Rear Admiral Klein talks military professionalism

Photo By Sgt. Carson Gramley | Marines discuss the topic of military professionalism during a visit by rear Adm. Peg Klein, the senior advisor to the Secretary of Defense for military professionalism, aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 10, 2014. Marines were afforded the opportunity to take the discussion in any direction they chose and spoke a lot about the trust between junior and senior ranks.  

CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

09.10.2014

Story by Lance Cpl. Carson Gramley 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A collection of Marines from different units aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, convened with a guest speaker to discuss military professionalism and ethical behavior Sept. 10, 2014. The guest speaker for the Marines was Rear Adm. Peg Klein, the senior advisor to the Secretary of Defense for military professionalism.

Klein assists in carrying out a mission set forth by the SECDEF and his advisors. According to the Ethics and Military Professionalism Office, her role is to meet with academic leaders, military leaders and other government officials to further the understanding of where military professionalism is at and what improvements can be made.

The admiral had discussions with three separate groups of Marines to get their unique perspectives and opinions on topics such as ethics, professionalism and trust. First, she spoke with a group of non-commissioned officers, then staff NCOs and, finally, a group of Marine officers.

Her approach was to give the Marines a topic for discussion and allowed them to express their personal views.

“We want to be able to provide tools to the services that they can provide to the force to be able to ensure that tomorrow’s leaders are as prepared as they can be,” Klein said.

The Marines all had similar ideas on the topics, and 1st Sgt. Fabian Casillas, H&S Company first sergeant with 1st Law Enforcement Battalion was open to expressing his own.
“I think the gist of our discussion came down to ethics,” Casillas said. “Us as the senior enlisted personnel are responsible for policing ourselves but also being comfortable to correct our officers if needed.”

The SECDEF and his advisors set several goals focusing on achieving the same level of dignity and trust among military members throughout the entire armed services. Klein will continue to meet with military members to get a better understanding of the task she has to complete.

• Date Taken: 09.10.2014
• Date Posted: 09.15.2014 18:57
• Story ID: 142212
• Location: CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US