Posted by Richard Gruby in Mandate on the Selection of Academy XOs

Posted by Commodore Jennifer Ward (Academy Commandant) in Mandate on the Selection of Academy XOs

Posted by Katherine Dedul in Mandate on the Selection of Academy XOs
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻
A new update to the CADET Bill has been posted in command: https://www.star-fleet.com/core/command/command/posts/265174/

The XO position is now a training position. Criteria for selection of XO training candidates needs to be determined, as well as a way to evaluate their performance and provide feedback. Thinking about an XOs role both IC and OOC within the club, how as a CO (those that are) choose their XOs, what JOs look for in an XO, how do we determine criteria for both things. I have several ideas but I would like feedback and input from the club at large.

Cmdre Ward, Academy Commandant

I know from experience, having DH experience and being at the club for a while (i would say at least a year or 2) would be required before being able to take the XO cadet position. I think having an understanding and the needed experience to be a DH prior to this would be ideal. Maybe I’m crazy but that is how I felt as a player.

Captain Strong, XO Tutor

I would agree with Clayton here about definitely having someone with at least a decent amount of DH experience. We could go with the typical three months experience as a DH (thereby indicating they have been in the club longer as a JO), I say three months because that’s typically the length listed for requirements for other ship positions outlined in CADET (such as the CO and the CNS, specifically). I viewed those requirements as the bare minimum, when I was Academy CO, typically looking to find people with more experience of course.

I feel this is a bit restrictive. Although I do agree that ideally we want someone who has been a DH, many of the DH positions are filled with experienced players that have been DHs for awhile, and aren’t going anywhere. We have very few ships which means a small pool of available DH positions. The same is true of our current CO and XO positions. So how do we address people who want to try for more, but haven’t had the chance due to limited positions being available? Do we count time in x-fleet?

As for evaluations, we could look to how we evaluate cadets and adapt that rubric into one for the XOs. Many of the criteria we evaluate cadets on for their graduation would be similar to how we’d want to consider a training XO (such as posting abilities, etc.) We’d need to add more position-specific questions such as:

-Do they understand how to read the roster and assist in managing AWOLs on the ship?
-Can they provide a commanding presence IC for players (are they comfortable delegatings tasks, etc.)

I can’t think of any more specific questions, but I’m sure someone else will chime in. :)

-Kat

These are great questions to start with. We could also review the XO exam to make sure that both the XO -it and the exam are looking for similar skills.

Cmdre Ward, Academy Commandant

In my opinion, this position is designed for someone who may need a little more help becoming an XO. There are some people in the club that want to be XO’s but have been passed for this reason or that and this position in the academy is a training position for someone to get the experience needed to be an XO in the main stream fleet. Not to open a can of worms here but on the course side, I believe that in order to be a DH, XO or CO you should have to complete the DH, CO or XO exam just like the GM’s do but this is a whole other discussion.

As far as candidates for the Academy Ship XO position, I believe this should be a recommendation from a CO or higher position about people on their ship or in the fleet that might be a candidate for the XO position. Then just like on a normal ship, the CO (Steve) and Academy Commandant, (Jennifer) would sit down and discuss and decide on the best candidate.

As a previous XO of an Academy ship, I believe this is a good thing that is happening.

These are just my 2 cents.

Captain Richard Gruby
AFCOMM, Pioneer Fleet
Captain, USS Memorial, Foremost Fleet
Starfleet Academy Counselor Tutor

For me I do concur with a lot of this as well. As a department head myself on different vessels here in the club and someone who has been passed over as XO. I do agree on with Richard is talking about. It is a position that someone can go for on the challenger of course and take it as a learn experience. I myself as a DH on all the different vessels I’m on I got to admit it takes time for someone to take up that role. And it is the same thing as the XO on the academy vessel. But it is for the training.

I do however agree with all of ya are saying about it cause it’s all true. So that’s my two cents.

Lieutenant Christopher Logan
Vice Academy Commandant