West Points Character Development Strategy (approved On 19 Dec 14) [613974]

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
LIVE HONORABLY AND BUILD TRUST

CONTENTS

PURPOSE AND INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………………… 6

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT GOALS (ENDS) ……………………………………………………………….. 9

GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT MODEL (WAYS) …………………… 10

PROGRAM, GROUP, AND ACADEMY SUPPORT FOR
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT (MEANS) …………………………………………………… …………………. 13

ASSESSMENT……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15

SPECIFIC TASKS…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 16

“At the heart of every Soldier must be unwavering character. Character is
what defines us. ”1

General Raymond T. Odierno
Chief of Staff of the Army

1 Raymond T. Odierno, “The U.S. Army: Trusted Professionals for the Nation,” Army 2014-2015 Green Book , October, 2014, p. 28.2 This
discussion about the root of the word character can be found in many sources. The author thought this was the most concise and appropriate.
Murphy, Madonna M. Character Education in America’s Blue Ribbon Schools: Best Practices for Meeting the Challenge. (Lancaster:
Technomic Publishing Company, 1998), 5.

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Purpose

The West Point Character Development Strategy describes how, at all levels and across
programs, the United States Military Academy (USMA) develops leaders of character who
internalize the ideals of Duty, Honor, Country and the Army Ethic. The strategy sup ports USMA
Strategic Goal 1 (Develop the United States Corps of Cadets) and USMA Strategic Goal 2 (Live
Honorably and Build Trust) . After reading this strategy, all cadets should understand their
responsibility for taking ownership of their character deve lopment and everyone (military and
civilian staff and faculty, coaches, and the Corps of Cadets) should understand their role and the
intended Academy outcomes for character development.

Introduction

“Educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a
commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor,
Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the
Nation as an officer in the Unite d States Army. ”

-USMA Mission Statement, 2014
Our mission statement clearly identifies West Point’s requirement to produce individuals who
are certified in the character (Honor) , competence (Duty) , and commitment (Country) of a
commissioned officer in the Army Profession. U nlike most operational units, we do not p ursue unit
readiness. Every team, club, department, and directorate has an overarching responsibility to build
character or facilitate character development in each individual throughout the course of the 47 –
month cadet experience. Character development can either be the primary goal or an ancillary
goal, but every member of the West Point team involved with cadet development has an important
role to play in character development. None of us can say, “That’s someone else’s responsibility.”

The word character is derived from the word charakter, which was the permanent mark placed
on a coin that determined the coin’s wort h. Similarly, a person’s character is “marked” by the set of
beliefs and values which serve as guideposts for how that person behave s, decide s, and act s.
2 At
West Point, we want each graduate ’s character to be “marked” with the values of West Point and
the Army Ethic.3 When a cadet grad uates from West Point and is commissioned as a second
lieutenant , the Academ y has certified that he/she has internalized the values of West Point and will
behave in a manner consistent with those value s, 24/7 and online.

Living honorably is the evidence that a graduate’s character is consistent with West Point ’s
values and the Army Ethic.4 Here is a working definition: Living honorably is the daily
commitment to internalize and uphold the values inherent in West Point’s motto ‘Duty, Honor,
Country’ and the Army Ethic ; to strive for excellence, and to develop character, competence,
and commitment in us and others ; to serve the Nation as members of the Army Profession now
and into the future .

2 This discussion about the root of the word character can be found in many sources. The author thought this was the most conc ise and
appropriate. Murphy, Madonna M. Character Education in America’s Blue Ribbon Schools: Best Practices for Meeting the Chal lenge.
(Lancaster: Technomic Publishing Company, 1998), 5.
3 ADRP 1 The Army Profession, 14 June 13, p. 1 -3, defines the Army Ethic as “the evolving set of laws, values, and beliefs, deeply embedded
within the core of the Army culture and practiced by al l members of the Army Profession to motivate and guide the appropriate conduct of
individual members bound together in common moral purpose.”
4 West Point values are: Duty, Honor, and Country. The values espoused by the Army Ethic are the established Arm y Values: Loyalty, Duty,
Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage.

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Character and Honorable Living are Mission Essential

Strong character demonstrated by honorable living strengthen s the Army Profession by
enabling us to build trust, which is relying on the integrity of another professional. Trust is the
“vital organizing principle that establishes the conditions necessary for effective and ethical mission
command and a profession that continues to earn the trust of the American people.”5 Trust derived
from strong character is a mission essential requirement. Trust allows the Army to maintain a
professional status with the public . Trust enables mission command and permits leaders to
conduct decentralized operations without constant oversight. In cont rast, weak character breeds
mistrust, undermines cohesion, and degrades military effectiveness. Even worse, weak character
can lead to short cuts, half truths, and moral cowardice that result in mission failure and
unnecessary loss of life.

Secretary of War Newton D. Baker succinctly su mmarized the importance of character in 1920.
His words continue to ring true a century later :

“Men may be inexact or even untruthful in ordinary matters and suffer as a
consequence only the disesteem of their associates or the inconvenience of unfavorable
litigation, but the inexact or untruthful soldier trifles wit h the lives of his fellow men
(Soldiers) and with the honor of his government, and it is therefore no matter of pride
but rather a stern disciplinar y necessity that makes West Po int require of her students
a character for trustworthiness that knows no evasions.”6

The trust built through strong character and honorable living also brings tangible benefits to
each of us, our unit, and our country. Graduates will enjoy professional autonomy and the respect
granted to a member of the Army Profession . Units operate more efficiently under the mission
command philosophy without the close management required in a unit plagued with mistrust.
Finally, th e Nation benefits from having an Army that provide s security in an honorable way,
knowing that each Army professional will fulfill that responsibility without abusing his/her
authority.

The Need for a Character Development Strategy

West Point needs a character development strategy to better integrate and synchronize the
many programs and people who impact cadet character. Furthermore, we require an assessment
plan to ensure we are fulfilling our mission. We must ensure we are not o nly doing the right things ,
but also doing things right. A clear strategy will help us do so.

Additionally, recent assessment indicates trends that trust, honor, and toleration are areas we
should address . For example, surveys indicate that not all cadets have internalized the spirit of the
Honor Code by the time that they graduate .7 Extensive focus group interviews with cadets indicate
that toleration is a challenging issue withi n the Corps of Cadets for six major reasons:

1. Severe Punishment : Cadets believe that the punishment for violating the Honor C ode is
too severe for most Honor violations. Cadets make a distinction between a “big” lie and a

5 ADRP 1 The Army Profession, June 2013, p. 2 -1.
6 Secretary of War Baker was quoted by MG Maxwell Taylor in a white paper, “West Point Honor System: Its Objectives and Proced ures,”
access on October 14, 2014 at: http://www.west -point.org/users/usma1983/40768/docs/taylor.html .
7 SHRC Update to the Superintendent, SHRC Briefing dated 04 DEC 14.

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“small” lie. As a result, cadets view the Superintendent’s options (i.e. six-month Honor
Mentorship Program, December graduation, full -year turn back, two-year Academy/Army
Mentorship Program, and separation) as too harsh for “small ” offenses.

2. Personal Impact : Cadets fear tarnis hing their own personal reputation and standing with
their peers. They also fear “ruining someone’s career” b ecause of a “small” offense.

3. Low Trust in the Honor System : Cadets believe the Honor System is too random in its
outcomes, has different standards for different populations, and is subject to outside
influence by lawyers and of ficers. Staff and f aculty also mistrust the system because they
believe too many cadets are not being found for obvious violations of the Honor Code.

4. Bad Cost -Benef it: It takes too much time and effort to conduct a Cadet Advisory Board
(CAB) or Honor Investigation Hearing (HIH). T his time investment detracts from other
requirements that do not get delayed . Therefore, some cadets are content with bystander
indiffer ence because it saves them personal time and energy.

5. If Others Tolerate, So Will I: Some staff , faculty and coaches believe that they can
adjudicate “minor” Honor violations at their level through counseling or corrective training.
Cadets see this poor example and follow suit. The harder right is to always report the
suspect ed Honor violation and allow a cadet Honor investigative team to make a
recommendation to either pursue or drop the case. Only the Superintendent has the
authority to gran t discretion; however, some staff , faculty, coaches, and c adets usurp his
authority by either ignoring a suspected Honor violation or thinking that they can handle
the situation at their level without the involvement of the Cadet Honor Committee.

6. Competing Loyalties: From the start of their West Point experience, cadets are reminded
continuously about the importance of relationships and the concept of “cooperate and
graduate.” Both concepts contribute to the perception that turning in a fellow ca det,
especially a classmate or teammate, is the equivalent of disloyalty or betrayal.8

Finally, there are some examples of what appears to be overt toleration by c adet Honor P anels
that disregard u nequivocal evidence of an Honor violation and render a “n ot-found” verdict based
upon lack of premeditated intent and stressful circumstances. Cadets have testified that sleep
deprivation caused them to lie, cheat, or steal without the intent to deceive or gain personal
advantage. Their argument is that they a re not accountable for their actions because of the
tremendous academic, physical, and military training workload placed on all cadets. Recent Honor
Panels have accepted this rationale and struggled with their responsibilities to consider the facts,
judge their cadet peer s, and make a recommendation to the Superintendent (i.e. act as stewards of
the Cadet Honor Code and system).

This strategy provides a plan to address these trends , which are inconsistent with good character.

8 These reasons are based on data collected from OCT 13 – DEC 14 during a series of cadet focus groups conducted by the SHRC and the
Honorable Living Tiger Team.

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Character Development Goals (Ends)

There are three overarching goals for this Character Development Strategy:

1. Military and civilian staff and faculty, coaches, and cadets acknowledge that change is
necessary to shift from behaviors extrinsically motivated by fear and compliance with the
Cadet Honor Code and regulations to intrinsic behaviors that demonstrate internalization of
the ideals of Duty, Honor, Country and the Army Ethic.

2. Establish a thoughtful character development model that describes what actions are
necessary and periodically assesses the strategy’s effectiveness.

3. Set the conditions for integrating, synchronizing, and assessing individual and collective
efforts at th e department /directorate level.

At the individual level , the goal is to develop these five facets of character in each graduate : 9

1. Moral : Internalization of the Army Values that results in the knowledge, integrity, and
awareness to assess the moral -ethical aspects of every situation and the personal courage to
take appropriate action regardless of consequences.

2. Performance : The sense of duty, resilience, and grit necessary to accomplish the mission
and get results.

3. Civic : The empathy, lo yalty, respect, and humility that enables an individual to treat others
with dignity and display selflessness.

4. Leadership : The ability to inspire and develop others while establishing a safe, positive
command climate where everyone thrives while achieving tangible results .

5. Social : The ability to act with the proper professional decorum in a ll professional, social,
and on line environments.10

At the group level within companies, teams, and clubs, we are inspiring excellence and developing
individual cadet character by demonstrating the following:

1. Positive Command Climate : The importance of treating people with dignity and respect
while ensuring a safe and positive environment where everyo ne can thrive .

2. Winning Culture: How to pursue excellence and win in a manner consistent with Army
Values and good sportsmanship.

9 Seider, Scott. Character Compass: How Powerful School Culture Can Point Students Toward S uccess. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press,
2012).
10 The first three facets of character listed are from Scott Seider’s work cited above. The Leadership and Social facets of cha racter were added
by the SCPME based on a broader description of character more appropriate for West Point’s mission and the expec tations of commissioned
service.

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3. Enforcing Standards : Upholding the professional requirement to enforce s tandards and
self-police the individuals and culture of the organization.

4. Maintaining Proper Loyalty : Harnessing the strengths of cohesion and accountability in
small organizations while maintaining values consistent with Duty, Honor, and Country.

At the Academy level (SUPE, DEAN, CMDT, ODIA, Admissions):

1. Consi stent Policies and Messages: Ensure that all policies and command decisions are
cons istent with espoused values that facilitate honorable living.

2. Staff, Faculty, Coaches as Exemplars : All members of the West Point leader development
community enforce an d uphold standards; lead and inspire by example.

3. Time Allocation : Protect adequate time for mentor relationships and structured reflection.

4. Assessment: Manage an effective character development assessment process .

5. Talent Management: Manage accessions, development, evaluation, and attrition to ensure
the best candidates are selected, all cadets are properly evaluated, and the cadets who do
not demonstrate proper character are either placed into a developmental program or
separated.

Character Development Guiding Principles and Model (Ways)

West Point character development starts with Cadet Basic Training and continues through
graduation. All cadets enter West Point with their own set of personal values shaped by their family,
friends, communities , school, athletic team s, etc. Ideally , their values align with Army V alues.
However, the West Point Character Development Strategy exists to describe how we close any
values gaps that might exist between what a cadet candidate brings to West Point and the
internalization of Army V alues by graduation .

The process begins with education so that they understand what is expected of them as cadets
and officers. This establishes their “left and right” limits for acceptable behavior as a member of the
Army Profession. They will then experience several challenges that require them to exercise one or
more of the five facet s of character. Af ter the experience, which should make them uncomfortable,
we must provide them time for structured reflection and introspection so they understand where
they are and where they need further develop ment . This iterative, continuous process does not
happen i n a single event. Every year, we begin character development for 1 ,000 new cadets and
continue developing 3 ,000 other cadets, all of whom are at a different level of internalization. This
is certainly no easy task.

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Guiding Principles

There is no perfect development model. All involved with character development will face
situations where they have to use their best judgment for developing a young person’s character. In
the absence of specific guidance, these guiding principles can he lp you decide how to lead and
maximize the cadet character development experience.

1. The goal is internalization, not simply compliance. Leaders of character are intrinsically
motivated to live honorably because there is inherent value in virtue. They a re not
extrinsically motivated simply to av oid punishment or gain reward. Explain to them why
this is essential to both mission accomplishment and the maintenance of trust with their
Soldiers, non -commissioned officers, peers, families, and the chain of c ommand .

2. Character development is an iterative, continuous process. Character development is
unique for each c adet and requires multiple, iterative experiences under the mentorship of
staff, faculty, and coaches who educate, train, and inspire individual cadets . Staff, faculty and
coaches should continually remind cadets that development and mentorship are not limited
to formal instruction and counseling . Mentorship and development experiences can also
include spontaneous, informal, and short duration events that happen throughout the
normal routine of a typical cadet day.

3. Character development at West Point is a mutual responsibility. Once each c adet take s
ownership of his/her own development, every member of the West Point team must also
teach, support, mentor , and inspire c adets as they navigate the iterative process of character
development.

4. Character development must be deliberate. The Academic, M ilitary, Physical , and
Character P rograms must clearly define and assess their character outcome goals for the
appropriate facet s of character . All progra m leader s must ensure their activities and
policies support the overall character development strategy without undermining or
impeding the goals of another program . Great outcomes may hav e some spontaneity, but
permanent change comes from deliberate effort. Finally, mentors and instructors must
explain to cadets how and why the activity facilitates character development.

5. Leaders develop leaders. The best way to provide purpose, motivat ion, and direction for a
cadet’s character development is to be a moral exemplar and mentor. Staff, faculty and
coaches must all display the appropriate attitu des and behaviors that inspire c adets to live
honorably and build trust. We must invest time , effort, and attention not only to educate and
train, but also to inspire and chall enge each c adet .

Character Development Model

We will align our efforts by implementing a commonly understood and approved model of cadet
and character development . Building Capacity to Lead , which establishes the framework for the
West Point Leader Development System (WP LDS) , provides a detailed Cadet Developmental M odel
(Figure 1) .

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Figure 1. Cadet Developmental Model.

The Cadet Developmental Model consists of five components for developing individual character :

1. Personal Readiness for Development : Cadets must be open and ready to learn from their
experiences. The staff and faculty have a responsibility to remind cadets how various
experiences contribute t o their character development and prepare them for service.

2. Developmental Experiences : The Ac ademy must provide c adets development al
experiences that are challenging, assessed, and supported. These experiences can be
planned or spontaneous. Each experi ence help s cadets understand themselves and others in
a new way.

3. Reflection : The Academy must afford cadets opportunities for structured reflection so they
understand the gaps in their development. Two of the most powerful reflective methods are
journa ling and meeting with mentors who have high expectations for them.

4. New Capacities and Knowledge : The combination of developmental experiences ,
classroom education, and structured reflection produces new perspectives, understanding,
and skills.

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5. Time : Development requires a significant investment of time for cadets, staff, faculty, and
coaches. Each part of this model requires time allocated for preparation, structured
reflection, and assessment. Inadequate time allocation reduces the impact of the
experiences and handicaps the developmental process. 11

This model and the guiding principles are the ways each person, program, department, and
directorate will approach character development. These ways support USMA Strategic Goal 1
(Develop the Corps of Cadets) by ensuring that at the conclusion of the 47 -month experience, cadets
do, “Live Honorably and Build Trust,” which is the first WPLDS outcome. When designing,
improving, or assessing any character development opportunity, all department h eads and director s
must ensure that they incorpora te the guiding principle s and the basic elements of this model.

Program, Group, and Academy Support for Character Development (Means)

The Academic, Military, Physical, and C haracter Programs are the primary means for
developing the five facets of individual character. The four programs have primary character goals
highlighted in green and the supporting goals highlighted in yellow (Table 1) . For example, the
Academic Program has primary character development goals in the moral , performance and social
facets of character. As supporting goals, the Academic Program develops civic and leadership
character . The other programs contri bute to primary and supporting character goals based on
their activities.

Academic Program (Red Book) . The Academic Program provides knowledge about moral -ethical
reasoning and opportunities for critical thinking and reflection . Core courses in philosophy,
psychology, military leadership, and Constitutional law (among others) provide foundational
understanding and opportunities for application . The Red Book provides the following goal for
ethical reasoning – recognize ethical issues and app ly ethical perspectives in decision making.

Table 1: Program Contributions to Character Development

Green Primary Development Program
Yellow Supporting Academic Military Physical Character Character Facet Moral
Civic
Performance
Leadership
Social

11 Building Capacity to L ead: The West Point System for Leader Development (United States Military Aca demy at West Point,
2009), 20 -22.

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Military Program (Green Book) . Character development is woven throughout the military
program which emphasizes performance and leadership character. The Green Book reflects a
strong character development component : Cadets will demonstrate courage, character, integrity and
toughness; understand and demonstrate effective leadership . Progressive leader development
experiences allow c adets to establish and refine their own values to ensure they are consistent with
the ideals of West Point and the Army Ethic. Summer leadership experiences and Academic Year
Periodic Deve lopment Reviews (PDRs) provide c adets with necessary feedback on their leadership,
character, and competence. TAC t eams and the c adet chain of comma nd provide individual and
collective character feedback in many forms throughout the year.

Physical Program (White Book) . The Physical Program focuses on the performance and
leadership facets of character by increasing physical and mental toughness, strengthening courage
through personal and team adversity, developing a winning spirit, and demonstrating good
sportsmanship. Department of Physical Education instructors, ODIA coaches, competiti ve club
officers -in-charge and officer r eprese ntatives chal lenge and inspire c adets to increase their
performance and leadership character. The White Book provides the character goal : Develop in
cadets the moral -ethical attributes essential for effective leadership; Mental and Physical courage,
balance and lifelong commitment. Active participation in Division I sports, competitive clubs, and/or
company athletics provides every c adet a daily opportunity to develop physically, mentally and
ethically. Physical tests (APFT, IOCT) and Physical Individual Adva nced Development assess cadet
mental and physical toughness .

Character Program (Gold Book – TBP) . The Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic
(SCPME) , in conjunction with the Brigade Tactical Department is responsible for planning ,
executing, and assessing the C haracter Program that focuses on the moral, civic, and social facets of
character. The foundation of this program is the Professional Military Ethic Education (PME2)
which is executed during both Cadet Basic Traini ng a nd Commandant’s Hour during the Academic
year. The major themes of Honorable Living ( Compliance and Thriving Under the Cadet Honor
Code, SHARP, Respect , and Social /Online Decorum ) are key components of PME2. PME2 will
transition to the Cadet Character Development Program (CCDP) during the 2015 -2016 academic
year . CCDP will continue to focus on the major themes of Honorable Living but will also emphasize
increased empowerment an d ownership by the cadet chain of command and more close ly align with
ADRP 1 The Army Profession and ADP 6 -0 Mission Command. The Character Program describes
how the entire Academy team (ODIA, 13 academic departments, DMI, and DPE) assists SCPME and
inspires the Corps of Cadets by providing mentors for PME2/CCDP, MX400 Mission Command
Conference , and developmental programs (Honor and Respect mentorship). The goal for each of
these programs is to educate cadets on moral -ethical t opics, to challeng e them with critical thinking
experiences, and to provide structured reflection. These goals support cadet ownership of their
character development and internalization of shared values.

Social Development. While the Academy does not have a distinct social program, the social aspect
of character is integrated throughout the Academic, Military, Physical, and Character P rogram s. The
goal of social development help s cadets identify themselves as part of the military profession and,
more specifically, as a leader of ch aracter within that profession. Throughout our formal programs,
and within the various social activities, each staff and faculty memb er, coach, officer representative,
and sponsor must be a role model and moral exemplar. Each of us must ta ke every opportunity to
mentor c adets and contribute to their development, in and out of the classroom, on the field, at our

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homes, while on a tri p section, or during a chance contact. Every contact with our cadets provides a
unique opportunit y to mentor and develop them. We desire graduates who can interact
appropriately with others in a wide range of cultural, social and professional settings di splaying
proper eti quette and dress, consideration of others, and respect for social and professional
conventions and traditions. In essence, we desire graduates who display professional decorum at all
times. The standard f or proper decorum extends to on line forums where statements and pictures
can harm others or portray a lifestyle inconsistent with Army Values. Anonymity and alcohol are
not excuse s for improper, unprofessional conduct. Examples of social development include
participation in the vario us cadet clubs, athletic and academic trip sections, the Semester A broad
Program , intercollegiate athletics, staff and faculty sponsor ship, etiquette courses, cadet functions
(spirit dinners, holiday meal, class -specific formals) , and student conferences (SCUSA, the Class of
1970 National Conference on Ethics in America, the McDon ald Cadet Leadership Conference, the
MX400 Mission Command Conference, etc.).

Group Programs: Many groups at West Point contribute to character development in a var iety of
ways. Groups are often the primary source of development and a key source of variety in the
character development experience. USCC companies, DCA c lubs, and ODIA athletic teams are
examples of the various group s that es tablish sub -cultures at West Point . These sub -cultures can
have a tremendously positive effect on character development by achieving the objectives
previously listed. Without proper stewardship by the cadets and the group leadership, however,
these sub-cultures can undermine ch aracter development. The group ’s leadership has a
responsibility to ensure their company, team, or club provides the positive example of command
climate, winning culture, enforcement of standards, and proper loyalty.

Academy Programs: Senior leaders and their staffs have responsibilities for resourcing,
supporting, and assessing character development. The institution must ensure that policies and
decisions are consistent with espoused values and enable character development throughout the
Academy. Setting and enforcing standards throughout the staff and faculty are critical for providing
the cadets an inspirational example of good character. Additionally, staff and faculty should seek
mentorship opportunities to strengthen cadet character , rehabilitate those who struggle, and
separate those who cannot or will not demonstrate the character expected of a cadet or officer.

Character Development Assessment

SCPME is responsible for assessing character development on the Superintendent’s behalf and is
also the proponent for the first WPLDS outcome, “Live Honorably and Build Trust.” The assessment
includes both direct and indirect measures for individual cadets and organiza tional culture . SCPME
coordinates with th e Superintendent’s Honor Review Committee (SHRC) and the Office of
Institutional Research (OIR) to collect and analyze data from several sources to include the Corps of
Cadets, staff , faculty , coaches , recent graduates, field commanders, and former battalion
commanders . This effort augments character assessment in other programs such as academic key
experiences and course grades, the C haracter in Sports I ndex, military key experience, military
development grades, and Periodic Development Reviews ( PDRs ).

The PDR is the only individual assessment of c haracter outside the other four programs. The
PDR is a multi -faceted assessment of leader competencies and attributes that map directly into the
five facets of character described earlier in this strategy. The PDRs are conducted each semester
and are used to assess individual character traits to develop individual cadets. Five additional

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annual assessment tools are used to assess the state of character develo pment. The five assessment
tools are the Character Development Survey, the SHRC Honor Su rvey (cadets and faculty), the New
Faculty Leader Development S urvey, the Basic Officer Leadership Course Survey, and the U .S. Army
War College Survey. These surveys are indirect assessments of cadet attitudes and behaviors , which
enable military and civilian staff, faculty, and coaches to reinforce / reward excellence and correct
attitudes and behavior that is not aligned with West Point’s values.

These additional surveys capture trends in character development. Each survey maps questions
into the following categories: the five facets of character, cadet attitudes toward the Honor System,
performanc e of graduates in the operational force, and West Point program effectiveness. Annual
adjustments are made to activities in each program and Academy policie s based on the survey
results. SCPME will coordinate with the OIR and other programs to annually assess character
development and provide a formal assessment to the Superintendent at the beginning of each
academic year.

Specified Tasks

Publishing a strategy is only the first step. Effective implementation is the true test of an
excellent organization. The f irst actions required of every department and directorate follow:

1. Shared Understanding : Department heads , coaches , and directors must ensure that all
membe rs of their organization s read the Character Deve lopment Strategy and understand
the Character Development M odel.

2. Assessment : Each program leader will assess the character dimensions of his/her program
using specific character development goals and direct assessment tools whenever possible.

3. Activity Inventory : Department heads, coaches, and directorates will identify at least five
significant character development activities that utilize th e guidelines and Character
Development Model to integrate character development into existing activities . These
activities will be shared across all departments, teams, and directorates .

4. Expand the C onversation : Department heads, coaches, and director s will brainstorm
ideas to further the discussion of character development within their department , initiate
collaboration between Academy organizations, and increase Academy wide adoption of best
practices.

5. Reward Excellence in Ch aracter : Department heads, coaches, and directors will identify
ways to publicly recognize and reward examples of individual character and honorable
living.

6. Evaluate Policies for Consistency : Seek feedback from within your organization to
identify policies that are inconsistent with espoused values, impede character development,
or send mixed messages about priorities. Recomm end solutions or policy changes within
the appropriate organizational authority (i.e. the Dean, Commandant, or Director of
Intercollegiate Athletic s).

7. Annual Report : The Dean, Commandant, and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics will
present an annual report that provides the Superintendent an overview and assessment of

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these six implementation tasks . The s cheduling and the report format are at the discretion
of the briefing organization and the Superintendent to allow sufficient flexibility for
integration into established assessment reports .

Conclusion

This strategy provides the ends, ways, and means for ensuring West Point programs and
activities are integrated and synchronized in support of West Point’s mission to provide the Nation
with commissioned leaders of character. Th is strategy is a call to action for every member of the
West Point team to understand his/her role in character development and to take the necessary
steps to ensure that each graduate is certified in character, competence, and commitment before
commissioning.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
The William E. Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic
December 2014