The constitutional paradigm, according to Col. It's an idea that guides people in the military to operate ethically, and clarify good from bad. There are four principals that must be used sequentially. The constitutional paradigm would be used when there are two conflicting moral issues that might both either be a win win or be a lose lose situation. The paradigm is a hierarchal system that places where your first moral obligations are. This system is mostly used in the military due to the high pressure and quick commands that a commanding officer might have to make. .
Not using this paradigm properly could lead to serious long term effect either physically like getting jail time or emotionally by doing something that at a later time you regret. The constitutional paradigm is the idea that you put everything before yourself. It's saying that you need to make sure that you think of you country and your mission before you worry about your own problems. If someone thinks that an order is trivial that the paradigm describes 4 principles you should go through to make your final decision on this order. The first is the priorities of loyalties; does your order interfere with the hierarchy? .
The 2nd is to resolve the conflicting royalties if they exist. The 3rd principle is if you cannot follow through with the order should consider if this is the job for them and consider if they need to resign or not. Although penalties of this could result is actions by UCMJ. The 4th principle is rare but if an order is legal or offensive you can withhold the loyalties given in the first principle. It seems weird that you would put yourself last but if everyone put themselves at the top of their priorities the military would have the one common goal of protecting and defending the United States. .
Dr. Hartle's baseline of what we commit ourselves to when we take the oath of office is that we have a commitment to professionally perform the tasks that have been appointed to us.