BLUF
Defence personnel potentially face an ethical dilemma—being conditioned to obey. However, if they obey “manifestly unlawful” orders, they can be held accountable. This article states not all personnel are aware of this legal contradiction.Learning Outcomes:
- Understand the conflict between military personnel being conditioned to obey, but can be held accountable if they obey “manifestly unlawful” orders
- Define unlawful order
- Identify some of the conditions whereby personnel have disobeyed an order
- Appreciate that ADF has protections for personnel disobeying unlawful order and Legal Officers can assist you with these deliberations
- Appreciate that not all personnel within your chain of command will be able to make a distinction about when an order is unlawful
