Who must provide the moral compass for subordinates in COIN?

• A. Leaders in command
• B. Subordinates
• C. External consultants
• D. The media

Answer: (A)

Leaders in command provide the moral compass for subordinates in COIN. They set the standards, establish rules of engagement, and model ethical conduct under peacekeeping and counterinsurgency pressures. By translating mission goals into clear ethical expectations and ensuring proper training, oversight, and accountability, they shape how subordinates think and act—balancing military necessity with protection of civilians and adherence to the law of armed conflict. Subordinates follow that guidance and operate within the established ethical framework. External consultants or the media don’t establish the unit’s moral framework, and subordinates alone can’t authoritatively direct it.