Compassion
One cannot over look the compassionate heart beneath the role of this calm and diligent first lieutenant. She's strict, serious, and deadly to boot – but that is not the sum of her existence. At various times throughout the Full Metal Alchemist story we are able to see her true nature; that of a truly gentle and kind woman.
To a young Winry who was about to loose two of her most important people to the military, Riza opens up a little and tells her about herself. Admitting that she dislikes the military as well because she is sometimes forced to take people's lives. However to protect the person most important to her she would do whatever was necessary.
This admonition is startling; it's first time we see Riza's true feelings towards the military surface. The dutiful soldier opening up to a little girl and admitting that she hates the job she has, trying to put the child at ease about the fate awaiting her companions. The gentle way with which Riza treats Winry softens the girls heart and puts some of her anxiety about Ed and Al joining the military at ease. Riza doesn't sugar coat her deeds, but her simple honesty and obvious kindness make an impression on the young girl – perhaps not all people in the military are monsters after all.
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That Riza opened up to Winry is surprising, but not uncharacteristic. Throughout the series we see the way that Riza treats the Elric brothers in a similar fashion. She likes to be straight forward and honest with them because she wants to spare their feelings later on down the line when they find out things through other means. She would rather be the harbinger of bad news herself, generally timing these occasions well and adding in a voice of encouragement.
"There is something you have to do before worrying about us, right? You and Alphonse have to return to your normal bodies. I'm sure there are many people waiting for the day that you do."
We also can't dismiss that Riza's ultimate ambition is to turn her country from a military to democratic state in the hopes that instances like Ishbal would never happen again. Her very life is dedicated to the ultimate goal of making the world a better place. She pushes her own emotions out of the way to do whatever is necessary to make this goal come true. This, I believe, is the ultimate tell tale fact regarding Riza's true personality; she's extremely self sacrificing.
This is not to mention what she has to actually do to make her goal come to light. Repressing her feelings of guilt and misery she pulls the trigger again and again to fight for justice and to protect the man whom all her hopes rest on. Other than displaying a remarkable sense of trust in a fellow member of the human race, the unwavering determination she shows towards him in all aspects of his life is nothing short of amazing. The extent of her feelings are such that she would loose the will to live should he pass away – her own life matters not in the face of Roy's and the promise she made to make the world a better place.
