Why We Lie

In a survey given to Air Force Officers and NCOs in 1980-1981, nearly 77 percent of respondents reported they felt pressured during their Air Force career to compromise their integrity in a job-related situation. Since that time, the United States Air Force has instituted Air Force Core Values. To determine if this set of professional ethics has had the desired effect, this research included a follow-up survey given to Air Force officers attending Air Command and Staff College. This survey revealed that 78% of 2007 respondents have been pressured to compromise their integrity. Not much has changed. The Air Force Core Values are a set of professional ethics designed to move the Air Force out of the Vietnam Era of deceit and disregard for orders into an organization of ethical maturity. While today's dishonesty and disrespect for authority is less overt, it still exists. In fact, due to its hidden nature, it is often no longer recognized as a violation of ethical behavior.