Scenario: Too Quick on The Draw

Group Size: 4-15

Scenario

You are working as a member of a human intelligence (HUMINT) team in a foreign region that has deteriorated into a civil war. The future of your mission is in question and the order to evacuate may come at any time. In preparation for a possible evacuation, you have been tasked with trying to locate as many of the humanitarian workers in your local area as possible.

You and your three other team members leave for a village and head to the home of a man who works for Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere (CARE) Canada. As you approach, you notice that the gate is broken. You leave two team members at the vehicle and direct that they should honk if there is any danger. You unholster your pistol and enter the compound with your partner. In the front yard, you find the body of the humanitarian worker lying in a pool of blood. You hear a noise, turn, and see a belligerent whose hands are covered with blood. He sees you and tells you to “get lost.” When you ask him if he did this, he laughs at you and says, “It’s none of your business.”

He doesn't make any threatening moves. You have no authority to arrest him and no ability to detain him at your headquarters. You know that he would be released immediately upon arrival. The only witness is your team partner. You hear a shot and realize that your partner has shot the belligerent.

Categories

• Principles: Respect the Dignity of all Persons, Obey and Support Lawful Authority
• Values: Integrity, Loyalty, Courage
• Cultural themes: Service, Identity, Leadership
• Misconduct types: General Misconduct
• GBA Plus themes: Not Specific
• Audience: Canadian Armed Forces

Facilitator’s Guide

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the ethical obligations of “Obey and Support Lawful Authority” vs “Respect the Dignity of all Persons” in an operational setting.
• Discuss the values of integrity, loyalty, and courage, as well as duty, a professional expectation from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) ethos, in an operational setting.

Facilitation Questions

1. What would you do in this situation? What are the considerations?
   • Allow open discussion from the group.
   • Ethical concerns: If Rules of Engagement (ROEs) did not justify the killing, do you back up your team member by staying loyal to them?
   • Personal factors: You are now torn between your personal values and the values that you believe your partner has displayed. Is it possible that your partner reacting to a threat that you had missed?
   • Environmental factors: What are the professional requirements of doing your job? Team members have the responsibility to protect their partners. Is loyalty more influential than your ethical obligation to Respect the dignity of all persons, on deployment? Has this killing violated any ROEs?
2. What is the ethical dilemma in this situation?
   • This is a competing values dilemma.
   • This situation raises issues concerning your values and the values of your partner. If the killing is unjustified, will your partner now expect you to lie or at least look the other way? What are the moral injuries that could arise from your decision(s)?
   • How can ROEs potentially compete many of our ethical principles and values of the Department of National Defence (DND)/CAF Code of Values and Ethics in that case?
3. What are some potential courses of action that could be taken in this scenario?
   • Option 1: Help your partner cover up the incident by not saying anything. You are covering up a criminal act and will be held accountable if it is revealed.
   • Option 2: Reprimand them on the spot, but do not report the incident. You are covering up a criminal act and will be accountable if it is revealed.
   • Option 3: Arrest them on the spot and turn him over to the chain of command for further action. You have done your duty and discharged your responsibility to the appropriate authority.