Scenario: That’s Not What I Call Rest & Relaxation

Group Size: 4-15

Scenario

“What do you think of the port visits planned for the deployment?” asks Lieutenant-Commander (LCdr) Acosta.

 “Well, not much, to be honest,” replies Chief Petty Officer 1st Class (CPO1) Bhatti. “This deployment is going to be seven months long, and even though the crew was asked by the Heads of Departments (HoDs) where they would like to visit, it seems that the Captain’s choice won out.”

LCdr Acosta is the ship’s Executive Officer (XO) on a naval frigate and CPO1 Bhatti is the Coxswain (Coxn). During the planning stage of the upcoming deployment, all HoDs were tasked with canvassing their members to determine which port the crew would like to visit for a possible rest and relaxation (R&R) break at the end of deployment on the way back to Canada. Since many of the crew members had never deployed to this region of the world, most voted for a popular vacation island with great beaches and historical sites. Yet, the ship’s captain later vetoed their choice in favour of a lesser-known port where their partner would be attending a conference. The location chosen is not popular with tourists or sailors. 

“Well, Coxn, I understand your concerns, but the Captain is the boss and responsible for the overall deployment,” says LCdr Acosta. 

“Yes, and they are also responsible for the morale of their crew. Right now, the crew isn’t very happy about the port call and we haven’t even set sail yet,” responds CPO1 Bhatti. “Since you’re the XO of this ship, perhaps you could speak with the captain to try to change their mind?” 

LCdr Acosta agrees to think about CPO1 Bhatti’s suggestion but is not comfortable with approaching the captain on this issue. Having sailed with the Captain before, LCdr Acosta knows they are stern, to say the least, and not particularly friendly with the crew. 

Besides, LCdr Acosta thinks to themself, “I really need a strong evaluation coming out of this deployment if I am going to make the merit list next year. I don’t want to get into it with the captain. On the other hand, the Coxn is right. This will be a long deployment and the crew deserve a decent R&R location for their hard work and mission success at the end of this deployment. After all, that is normal practice in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).” 

Categories

• Principles: Serve Canada before Self
• Values: Integrity, Courage, Stewardship, Excellence
• Cultural themes: Leadership, Teamwork
• Misconduct types: Not Specific
• GBA Plus themes: Not Specific
• Audience: Canadian Armed Forces

Facilitator’s Guide

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the ethical principle of Serve Canada before self in this operational setting. 
• Discuss the ethical values of integrity, courage, stewardship, and excellence in this scenario. 

Facilitation Questions

1. What is the problem in this scenario?  
   • Allow for open group discussion.
   • This scenario relates to conflict between the Captain's authority, their decision making and the impact of those decisions on the well-being and morale of the crew. LCdr Acosta is conflicted on how to proceed considering the personal impacts of raising the issue with the captain. 
2. What considerations are at play with respect to Defence Ethics and the military ethos? 
   • Allow for open group discussion. 
   • Discuss the ethical principle to Serve Canada before self in this scenario.
   • Discuss the ethical values of integrity, courage, stewardship, and excellence in this scenario. 
   • Consider this perspective: The morale and well-being of the crew directly impacts and contributes to the success of a mission and should be prioritized by the captain, especially since there is no operational requirement to visit the port where the captain’s partner will visit. The decision reflects a broader duty of military personnel to serve Canada's best interest and a leader’s responsibility to stewardship.
   • This scenario also highlights the issue of raising a valid concern with a superior, but also not wanting to negatively impact their career or relationship with their superior. 
3. Should the ship's captain have the final say in selecting a port for the deployment's R&R break, even if it contradicts the majority vote of the crew and negatively impacts their morale?    
   • The ship's captain has a responsibility to prioritize the mission and the welfare of the crew over their personal interests. The crew's choice of port, when considering the crew’s hard work and mission success, is likely in the best interest of Canada and the CAF’s operational objectives. In a broader sense, decisions should reflect a balance that weighs operational needs and the crew’s morale. 
4. What possible action(s) should the XO take in this scenario? 
   • Allow for open group discussion. 
   • Option 1: Discuss the decision with the captain. Initiate a respectful and open conversation with the Captain to discuss the crew's concerns. Emphasize the potential impact on morale, the crew's performance, and mission success during the deployment.   
   • Option 2: Discuss the issue first with the senior ship officers. Consult with other senior officers or department heads who may share concerns about the crew's morale. A collective approach may carry more weight when having the discussion with the captain.  
   • Option 3: Do nothing and leave the situation as is, understanding that if the situation is not addressed, it will most likely have demoralizing effect on the ship's crew. Note: This option is not recommended. LCdr Acosta’s career aspirations should not overshadow their responsibility to advocate for the well-being and morale of the crew.