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The Price for Blowing the Whistle when Facing Ethical Dilemmas

Many engineers and scientists join the defense sector, because it offers well-paying opportunities to work on challenging technical problems. However, some face ethical dilemmas about the nature of their work and its end use. Examples range from the Manhattan Project that developed the atom bomb during World War II, to the more recent Project Maven at Google that used artificial intelligence for combat drones. In both of these cases, several project participants questioned the morality of their work. The problem in most cases is that individuals have to make difficult choices alone when facing an ethical dilemma. There is very little choice in finding alternative work since defense organizations do not typically have nondefense projects. This paper narrates two case studies drawing on the author's own experience working on the Pentagon's missile defense program. The first relates to author's experience in a laser weapon program and the second, as an investigator for the US Government Accountability Office. The research methodology is strictly narrative. It describes the author's efforts to bring to light the ethical lapses and the lessons learned.