Identity and the Military Profession: An Eriksonian Perspective

摘要

The theories of professor/psychoanalyst Erik Erikson provide an ideal conceptual framework for studying the dimensions and dynamics of identity formation. Using Eriksonian concepts, this study analyzes the impact of military service on the shaping of the individual identity and occupational identity of Army officers. The study demonstrates that several institutional policies and practices, as well as the actions of other officers, have the potential for disrupting an officer's identity development. It shows that the development of a coherent and positive sense of identity is essential to effective leadership and inextricably tied to the enduring values of the Army Ethic. This study recommends various changes in Army policy and practice to promote the formation of individual and occupational identity from pre-commissioning through the latter stages of an officer's career.