Throughout their lives, individuals are obliged to make decisions. These decisions, taken on a daily basis, affect not only individuals but also those around them. Because of this, society as a whole has created opinions about what is right and wrong. Sometimes these “good or bad” ethical decisions or choices differ from one group to another. This is clearly seen in different professions. For example, a doctor has different obligations than the average citizen in caring for an injured person. It is for this reason that organizations create codes of ethics to guide the decision-making process of their members. This is no different in the world of warfare, especially in counterterrorism (CT). So let's take a look at the ethical codes used by CT professionals and how they differ from those in the private sector. Before we look at that, let's define what a code of ethics is. Codes of ethics are used to help guide decision-making. They do this by defining acceptable behaviors, standards of practice, responsibilities, and isolating professional identity (Life Skills Coaches Association of British Columbia, 2001). The code is usually in written form. Generally, it consists of two parts (Chris MacDonald, 2002). First, it has an ambitious section or preamble that describes what the organization seeks to be. Second, it will define the standards or rules that members will be expected to respect (Chris MacDonald, 2002). In my experience, this can be as long as three pages or as short as three standards to follow. Now that we understand what a code of ethics is, let's look at what is commonly found in the private world. In the private world, codes often deal with commercial practices. You will frequently find values ​​such as integrity and honesty as pillars. The...... middle of paper ......nce for drafting a code of ethics. Retrieved March 29, 2012 from ethnicweb.ca: http://www.ethicsweb.ca/codes/coe3.htmHilton, R. (June 18, 2004). The execution of Nick Berg. Retrieved March 29, 2012, from Stanford.edu: http://wais.stanford.edu/Individuals/nickberg.htmHome Depot. (February 21, 2011). Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. Retrieved March 29, 2012 from homedepot.com: http://ir.homedepot.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=63646&p=irol-govconductLife Skills Coaches Association of British Columbia. (December 23, 2001). Code of ethics. Retrieved March 29, 2012, from calsca.com: http://www.calsca.com/ethics_lscabc.htmSteigerwald, L. (March 5, 2012). Eric Holder: The U.S. government can kill U.S. citizens if the threat is serious and capture is not feasible. Retrieved March 29, 2012, from Reason.org: http://reason.com/blog/2012/03/05/eric-holder-says-the-us-government-can-k