Upon returning from his patrol, LT. McDonough notices an uncomfortable amount of tension and disdain between the suspected EPW Vietnamese Woman and Sergeant Hernandez. While McDonough could not confirm nor deny that inappropriate actions had been taken against the woman, he knew he would no longer be able to have the same amount of trust in Hernandez again.  This incident lead LT. McDonough to make the decision to let go of Hernandez who was once one of the most vital members of his platoon.  This decision dwindled his numbers further, but it was the ethically correct decision.  If he had been allowed to stay, there would be no value in the relationship between him and McDonough, as the trust had already been lost.  Him staying could have potentially endangered more women, causing unnecessary harm to the Vietnamese population.  When a person in any military position commits an act of sexual assault as implied in the text they violate the Geneva Conventions, the standards of the United States Military, and impart harm on a physical and psychological level onto another human that is nothing short of evil.  In war we are set against an enemy with a mission to defeat them, but there are rules of engagement we must follow to ensure we are doing so ethically. Within those rules it is clear that by no means is it acceptable to sexually assault another, whether they be friend or foe.  If Hernandez committed that act, he lacks the most basic ethics required of an individual to be deemed moral.  I believe if one is not morally strong, no amount of physical or mental strength can make them anything but a weak person, and that kind of person has no business continuing serving in the Army.

If there is one thing I hope my fellow Cadets impart upon their future soldiers, it is the vitality of acting ethically within and outside of the Army, towards every individual they encounter.  When we become leaders one day we will be held accountable for the actions of our men, so we must ensure we are able to guide them committing themselves to ethical decision making.