Being in favor of self-assessment doesn't mean I would be in favor of it without question or thought.
And as for trust, it is indeed built over time. But it will never begin to form if both parties are not open to it. Very few of us have the benefit of knowing one another prior to our arrival, and so the only way to begin is to believe in what Suzaku and Gino began and trust, at least a little, in their judgment to allow us on the Force. But this, as well, requires consideration. Trust should not be blind, but neither should it be a Catch-22 of not giving people a chance because of prior inexperience with them.
As far as the goals, I certainly would think that's open to the direction of the new leader, whoever that may be. But as to whether we were working for Sentience -- no, I don't believe that was the case, though I can understand why that became a perception. As I said, it was a point that gave me pause. However, eliminating the connection between the Wardens and the Defense Force will only help that perception, as well as establish that, hopefully, those who join will be doing so for reasons of personal convictions rather than personal gain.