Ethical Issues In J. G. Kaffee's A Few Good Men

In “A Few Good Men,” there are many issues regarding ethics that arise, however two of these issues stand out from the rest. These issues are how LY. J.G. Kaffee practiced his profession, how LT. COL. Jessep ordered a code red even though he received a command to cease the practice and how this order passed through the chain of command to LANCE CPL. Dawson and PFC Downey. Throughout a portion of the story, Kaffee handles Dawson and Downey’s case in a manner that is best summed up by LT. CMDR. Galloway; “…fast-food, slick-ass, Persian Bazaar…”. Jo gives this dialogue because Kaffee not only is playing softball instead of going to interview his clients who had arrived that morning, but because he made the claim that he could get his clients charges “knocked down to involuntary manslaughter,” upon his initial briefing into the case. He also continued to bargain with the prosecution, LT.

Jessep believed he was doing what was necessary to maintain the security of not only his base, but his nation. He did his job, and he claims that he would do it again. It was not his intention for the code red to result in the untimely death of Santiago; it was his intention to train someone under his command using whatever means necessary. However, none of this excuses Jessep’s actions; his actions disobeying an order from his commander to end the practice of code reds, and this action ending in the death of a person are unethical. Also, his soldiers following this order is inexcusable. Even though these soldiers were following an order from their commanding officer; they have a duty to question the ethics, morality, and legality of an order. Even though Dawson and Downey were found not guilty of second degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, they were charged with conduct unbecoming a United States Marine because they followed orders and did not question the three aforementioned