Major Gabriel states that only a terribly few, very strong officers can be expected to withstand the pressure in the absence of overt organizational support, and the most likely course is to abandon personal responsibility and acquiesce in the norms of the organization. It is clear to even the most naive student of bureaucracies that the mere promulgation of a code of honor for the military will not ensure its effectiveness. The nature of any command is a moral charge which places each officer at the center of ethical responsibility. An officer's sense of moral integrity is at the center of his leadership effectiveness. The advancement of one's career is never justified at the expense of violating one's sense of honor.
Every officer holds a special position of moral trust and responsibility.
No officer will ever violate that trust or avoid his responsibility by any of his actions, regardless of cost. An officer's first loyalty is to the welfare of his command. He will never allow his men to be misused or abused in any way. An officer will never require his men to endure hardships or suffer dangers to which he is unwilling to expose himself. Every officer must openly share the burden of risk and sacrifice to which his men are exposed.