Posted by Matthew Bernardin in Question for the Candidates (All tickets)

Posted by Dave Eads in Question for the Candidates (All tickets)
Hi guys!
I know most of you Candidates on at least a “We’ve written together” level, and I believe you all to be good and fair folk. Thus, I wanted to throw out a hypothetical scenario and see if we can get into some the “stickier” situations that sometimes arise in the course of running a ship, or a fleet, or the club itself; and how you’d likely react to such situations.

Hypothetical Part A:
Johnny is CO of a ship. He dislikes his XO, Bob and decides to remove Bob from that position. Bob, doesn’t like this idea, of course, and complains to the Fcomm.

Hypothetical Part B:
It comes to light that Johnny hasn’t been the best CO and Bob has been doing all the admin work on the ship. In fact, some of Bob’s counter-complaints are very legitimate.

Please describe what the behind the scenes dialogue might look like from your position? Also, your reasoning behind whatever decision(s) you might make?
To your mind, what is the proper reason, and when is the proper time to remove a CO from command?

Thank you for your time.
-Dave

Interesting question

First of all, as President I shouldn’t even be in this discussion. I would trust my FComm team to have conferred and handled this appropriately on their own and would expect to simply receive a brief behind the scenes about the scenario.

However for the sake of answering the question. Let’s assume that either the CO or XO in general has appealed the FComm’s decision regardless of what it was. As President I would discuss this with my VP and evaluate the original ruling of the FComm based on the following criteria.

1. Does the appeal allege any impropriety or unfair bias of the person who made the decision.
2. Has the person making the decision fairly listened and considered both sides of the argument and used logic to apply a consistent methodology to arriving at their ruling
3. Does the ruling fall in line with the FComm’s duty and responsbilities that being to do the best thing for the ship
4. Has the FComm used a fair and reasonable method or criteria to determine what is best for the ship

If at this point both myself and D concur that yes the FComm has enacted properly the appeal will be dismissed and the FComm’s decision upheld.

It is not my job to undermine or do my officer’s jobs for them. It is both mine and my VP’s job to ensure that my officers are doing theirs.

– Matt

Sorry I forgot to mention that if the answer is no the FComm has not acted properly then that is a whole different kettle of fish. Requiring a re-evaluation of all pertinent facts and an investigation into what parts and why the FComm hasn’t done their job. Dependant upon the answer to that review the outcome would be based upon the finding.

At a ship level options could including upholding or reversing the FComm’s decision, or even replacing the entire command staff of that ship if that is what the best outcome for the health of the ship was.

At a fleet level, dependant upon the reasons for the FComm failing to do their duty it could entail anything from a simple “yeah, this is how you could of handled that better mate” up to and removal as FComm. The key thing to note is, I wouldn’t fire someone for making a bad call or the wrong decision. God knows I’ve made a tonne of them.

– Matt/D