Oct. 21, 2024, 10:41 p.m.
Edict #5
“Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”
Background. Before I get into the substance of this edict, I just wanted to articulate the context and the reasoning for it. Unlike the famous quote that I’ve used above, one of the challenges we have in the club is balancing the needs of the many with the needs of the few. RL plays havoc with all of our lives, often at short notice, or in a way that we don’t realise how much pressure we’re under until something gives way. That sometimes means that we cannot dedicate the time to the club that we would normally do so. Being candid about my performance in STF over the last 6 weeks, I’ve been very much focused on a major work project and some personal things that have meant I’ve not given the club as much attention as I should have done.
We could take the Star Trek approach, and be brutal with AWOL limits across the club. We’d have a nice green Master Roster, although we would probably reduce the club size by a significant proportion. We would also be sending out a message that RL doesn’t come first, and that we don’t care about individual members’ morale. I think we would all agree that is opposite of what we believe as a club. At best, we could lose a very capable individual who has been a stalwart of the club over a rough patch in RL; at worst, we disenfranchise a section of the club, and make it more difficult for members to be honest about the support they need.
But we also need to make sure that our club’s role playing areas remain healthy, and that the members enjoy role playing on them. That can be difficult to achieve if one of the Command Staff isn’t able to invest in it as much as they would like to. So, we need to find a way to give individuals some latitude for RL, whilst ensuring someone is there to pick up their responsibilities ready for them when they return.
I eluded in the ongoing fleet discussions that we don’t have a process for supporting COs and XOs when RL flares up. I do believe that is worth us discussing, either as part of that discussion or separately. However, there is a particular ship that I think will benefit from the temporary assignment of an acting CO for a month, who can drive some of the OOC admin bits forward in terms of recruitment, and enable a GMT to be placed on the ship. This will also give that CO a bit more of a softer landing back into STF, rather than feeling they have a mountain to climb.
I have discussed this with the ship’s CO, XO and FComm. I think the three of us would agree that, as a club, we need to come together to support each other, and I am hoping this is one of the ways we can do this that balances the needs of the many with the needs of the few. I am more than happy to have a discussion about whether this is something we should be doing, and whether it needs more rigour to it, but politely request that we do that when we have that discussion on supporting COs and XOs.
Edict. Commodore Kevin Sawyer is temporarily assigned as the acting Commanding Officer (aCO) of the USS Manhattan, for an initial period of 30 days; this may be extended by agreement of the CO, FComm and President to no more than a total of 90 days. James Sinclair remains the Commanding Officer (CO).
Kevin may be released from the role prior to 30 days provided both FComm and CO agree.
Yours,
Jack
STF President
21 October 2024