Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair’s Ethical Issues
Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair is a man walking in murky waters. He is charged with sexual misconduct ranging from forcible sodomy, indecent acts, violating orders as well as adultery (Bothelho 3). He is also accused of mistreating his accuser. He is embroiled in ethical issues that touch on his person as an army officer as well as a husband and a father. For a man who acknowledged the fact that he behaved badly towards his subordinates, one thing is clear, that he abused office and also overstepped his mandate, he violated the law and therefore, can be termed to be having a multiple ethical issues not only touching on his job as an army officer but also as a family man and defender of the law. The ethical issues he is embroiled in range from personal family issues to disregard of work ethics.
With regard to his job as an army officer, Sinclair overstepped his mandate and used his office to take advantage of his juniors. This is clearly against work ethics. Public officers are not supposed to get involved with each other while on duty (Reamer 2013). It is worse off when one of the officers forces other officers to commit an offence they are well aware of just like in their case. It is expected that he should not get involved with his colleagues let alone his juniors at the work place. But then he went on not only to befriend them but also to forcefully get sexually involved with them. The captain in question said that she was threatened by the officer and therefore got intimidated. This is what made her get sexually involved with him and if it were within her means, she could not have given in to his pestering. Getting sexually involved with three women who were tied to him because of their work in the army is a serious offence which is a total disregard of work ethics.
As a family man, he sure puts not only himself in an awkward situation, but his wife and children too. It is unethical for a married man to get involved with another woman sexually (Shriver & Shriver 2009). He is obligated to be faithful to her and any act that goes against this is wrong by all means. A married man should always stay true to his wife no matter what. When the inevitable happens and a couple faces adultery charges, it sure puts the marriage on the rocks. Sinclair went against the promise to remain true to his wife and this means that he has broken the oath they took. His children may not take this lightly either. He offended them through his immoral acts and who knows what might happen to all of them after all these accusations were leveled against him. In thing is for sure, that this family will never be the same again.
Away from the adultery offence, Sinclair also pleaded guilty to the misuse of a government credit card issued to him. This is unethical for a public officer because all the money he used wastefully belong to the government and the taxpayer for that matter. This is misuse of resources given to him which are supposed to be used under exceptional circumstances. Even so, the accusations that hold so much weight are those of his infidelity with his juniors and a childhood civilian friend. The bottom line is that he let down the people who looked up to him, his wife, two boys and society at large. Sinclair’s non ethical behavior put him on the spotlight as an officer who wrongfully used his position to take advantage of his juniors. At this point in time, he has proven untrustworthy and his name will be tainted forever no matter how remorseful he may be.
References
Botelho, G. (2014). Lawyer: General Accused of Sex crimes to Plead to Some of Lesser Charges. Web. Retrieved on 25th March 2013. http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/05/justice/army-general-charges/
Shriver, G. & Shriver, M. (2009). Unfaithful: Hope and Healing after Infidelity. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook
Reamer, F. G. (2013). Social Work Values and Ethics. New York: Columbia University Press.
