WPAOG Parent Handbook 2018-19

52 PROGRAMS Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic (SCPME) The Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic serves as West Point’s integrator on all things related to character development and the study of Officership. The SCPME’s mission is to lead and coordinate the planning, synchronization, execution, and assessment of West Point’s Character Program so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character. The SCPME is responsible for managing the Honor System, the MX400: Officership capstone course taken by all seniors, and the Cadet Character Development Program. The SCPME also coaches the Cadet Honor, Respect, and CASHA committees, and hosts several ethics and Officership-related conferences. The Honor System Cadets exercise stewardship of the Cadet Honor Code through the Cadet Honor Committee, the Cadet Honor investigation process, and education from the Cadet Character Development Program (CCDP). The Cadet Honor System is developmental in nature, designed to transform cadets’ motivation from compliance with the letter of the Cadet Honor Code to the internalization of the spirit of the Cadet Honor Code by the time they are commissioned into the United States Army. The Cadet Honor System has a progressive set of goals that lead to the internalization of the spirit of the Cadet Honor Code. Cadet candidates arrive at West Point with varying understanding of the Cadet Honor Code. Every cadet must comply with the Cadet Honor Code upon arrival to USMA but will internalize it prior to commissioning. Additionally, the Cadet Honor System is organized to enhance Cadet Ownership of the Cadet Honor Code and to further an honorable culture. MX400 (Officership) MX400 is the Superintendent’s capstone course on Officership for all first class Cadets at the United States Military Academy. The course is optimally aligned with the Academy mission statement to develop and produce leaders of character. The course content synthesizes the first three years of Cadet education and training by engaging in discussions on the Army’s professional leadership framework of character, competence, and commitment. The course’s curriculum is based on a seminar-style format conducive to putting theory into action, with a combination of professional discussion, hands-on experience with tactical decision exercises, role-playing scenarios, reflection exercises, and developmental exposure to contemporary operational leaders. Each of these methods shares a common goal: internalization of a military identity as a commissioned leader of character within the Army profession. The Cadet Character Development Program (CCDP) The CCDP is a collaborative effort between the Brigade Tactical Department (BTD) and SCPME. The CCDP provides the conceptual and inspirational content to support the individual and collective development of cadets into commissioned leaders of character, and is the foundation of our character education efforts. The CCDP involves instruction and structured reflection on the concepts central to professional and ethical standards of behavior at West Point and within the United States Army. Cadets put these standards of behavior into practice through their participation in the academic, military, and physical programs. The CCDP is the primary educational component of the Character Program.