The Impact of the Duty to Obey Orders in Relation to Medical Care in the Military

Abstract

Obedience as a defining feature of the military extends from the battlefield to the garrison and beyond. In many countries military personnel must not only obey the orders of their commanding officer on the battlefield, but also the orders of their military doctor providing routine medical care back “home”. The requirement for individual soldiers to obey the orders of their military doctor and not seek medical care outside the military health system ensures an efficient organisation that is able to ensure operational effectiveness, however it goes against the basic bio-ethical principle of autonomy in health care.