Scenario: Tough Decision

Group Size: 4-15

Scenario

You are tasked as staff on a peacekeeping operation. The operation has collapsed as hostilities have resumed between the belligerents. The United Nations (UN) has decided to reduce the force from 2500 personnel to just 270. The Government of Canada (GoC) has left the decision about the status of Canadian personnel to the Canadian Contingent Commander. The Commander wants volunteers to stay on the mission. Conditions are horrendous. There are only a couple of days of food and water left and there are no medical supplies. The mission, however, will continue with limited and tenuous support. Many of your colleagues, when given the option to leave, opted to depart on the grounds that they do not want to risk their lives for a mission that has changed dramatically since they first arrived in the country.

Your Commander calls you into their office. You are the last member of the contingent to be interviewed. You are offered the option of leaving without repercussions or hard feelings. An answer is expected right away.

Categories

• Principles: Serve Canada Before Self, Obey and Support Lawful Authority
• Values: Loyalty, Courage, Excellence
• Cultural themes: Service, Identity
• Misconduct types: Not Specific
• GBA Plus themes: Not Specific
• Audience: Canadian Armed Forces

Facilitator’s Guide

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the ethical obligation of “Serve Canada before Self” and “Obey and Support Lawful Authority” in an operational setting.
• Discuss the ethical values of loyalty and courage, in addition to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Ethos of responsibility and duty 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: In this scenario, you can stay and be loyal to your commander and colleagues who have chosen to stay or leave without any repercussions.
   • Personal factors: You value loyalty and feel morally bound to stay and help your commander in his attempt to complete the mission. However, you have been provided with an option that would allow you to both leave and save face.
   • Environmental factors: Some environmental factors are unclear. The UN’s decision to reduce the commitment is clear, however, the GoC’s stance, by granting the commander the power to decide, is less clear. The two opposing forces, by re-commencing their hostilities, have created an additional environmental factor. All of which play a role in your decision.
2. What is the ethical dilemma in this situation?
   • This is a personal dilemma.
   • The situation you now face puts you in a tough spot. Do you continue the mission or look after yourself and depart? However, there is an element of uncertainty because the change in the mission has made the future unclear.
3. What are some potential courses of action that could be taken in this scenario?
   • Option 1: Inform your commander that you will leave. You will be safe. However, this decision may create a sense of disloyalty.
   • Option 2: Inform your commander that you will stay. Place loyalty to commander and mission above yourself. You will be doing this in full awareness that you may be killed, injured, or wounded.