Ordinary Soldiers: A Study in Ethics, Law and Leadership

Ordinary Soldiers uses a World War II case study as the basis for educating, training, and inspiring current and future officers through critical consideration of leadership and ethics. The resource prompts discussion of the legal and ethical standards U.S. military professionals are expected to meet, the challenges military leaders face in making consistently legal decisions in a combat theater, and the consequences of failure to meet these standards. Ordinary Soldiers has been designed in a modular format that can be adapted depending upon time available, lesson objectives, and class sizes ranging from just a few students to nearly 100. It is used at military academies, by the Reserve Officer Training Corps, and in other professional military education venues

Prompt y-ray activation analysis of Martian analogues at the FRM II neutron reactor and the verification of a Monte Carlo planetary radiation environment model

Planetary radiation environment modelling is important to assess the habitability of a planetary body. It is also useful when interpreting the γ-ray data produced by natural emissions from radioisotopes or prompt γ-ray activation analysis. γ-ray spectra acquired in orbit or in-situ by a suitable detector can be converted into meaningful estimates of the concentration of certain elements on the surface of a planet. This paper describes the verification of a Monte Carlo model developed using the MCNPX code at the University of Leicester. The model predicts the performance of a geophysical package containing a γ-ray spectrometer operating at a depth of up to 5 m. The experimental verification of the Monte Carlo model was performed at the FRM II facility in Munich, Germany. The paper demonstrates that the model is in good agreement with the experimental data and can be used to model the performance of an in-situ γ-ray spectrometer

The impact of focusing a program to prevent heavier drinking on a pre-existing phenotype, the low level of response to alcohol.

BackgroundHeavy drinking is common during transitions from high school to college. Optimal programs for diminishing risks for high alcohol consumption often tailor the approach to the specific needs of students. This study describes the results of an Internet-based prevention protocol that tailors the information to the risk associated with a pre-existing phenotype, the Low level of Response (Low LR) to alcohol.MethodsUsing stratified random assignment, 454 freshmen with Low and High LR values were assigned to 2 education groups (LR-based where all examples were given the context of the Low LR model of heavy drinking or a State Of The Art (SOTA) Group where the same lessons were taught but without an emphasis on LR) or a no-intervention Control Group. Individuals in the 2 education groups viewed 50-minute online videos once per week for 4 weeks. Changes in drinking patterns were assessed at Baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks using a 2 (LR status) by 3 (education group) by 3 (time points) analysis of variance, with additional tests for ethnicity and sex.ResultsLow LR participants tended to decrease their usual (p < 0.06) and maximum (p < 0.05) drinks per occasion most prominently when assigned to the LR-based protocol, while those with High LRs improved more in the SOTA Group. The most robust differences were seen when controlling for ethnicity. The effect sizes were small to medium.ConclusionsThese results support the advantages of carrying out prevention via the Internet and in tailoring the approach to a pre-existing phenotype