Pentagon says Mattis' new ethics memo not tied to any specific incident

The Pentagon on Friday evening released, without context, a memo on ethical conduct penned by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, but a spokesman says it "was not tied to any one specific thing."

Though the memo was released shortly after it was reported the White House Counsel's Office had approved a new policy banning openly transgender people from serving in the military, Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters Monday that Mattis' memo should be considered general guidance for the Defense Department and is not a response to "any specific incident or anything else."

"It's something he's been talking about and considering for months," Davis said.

In the memo, Mattis writes that he expects every member of DOD to "play the ethical midfield."

"I need you to be aggressive and show initiative without running the ethical sidelines, where even one misstep will have you out of bounds," he writes. "I want our focus to be on the essence of ethical conduct: doing what is right at all times, regardless of the circumstances or whether anyone is watching."