March 4, 2024 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes)

It was March 2009. I was Captain of the USS Nimitz. We were sailing the eastern pacific ocean conducting workups after our long maintenance period to confirm we were ready for action.

The Officer of the Deck is the senior person in charge on the bridge at all times. When the ship is underway, the OOD leads a bridge team for a four-hour watch, rotating through different teams so that the bridge is manned by alert watch standers, 24/7. The OOD’s primary role is to prevent collision and groundings.

All OODs are officers selected from the crew and being an OOD is not their only job. They have other daily duties taking care of their divisions and personnel. That is all in addition to standing watch as the OOD for four hours at a time and their days can be extremely long.

It is the duty of the aircraft carrier Officer of the Deck to be vigilant for potential hazards. It’s a critical job. The lives of 5,000 people depend on it, especially at night. For that reason, going to sleep on watch is a punishable offense in the military. It is extremely serious. If an officer is found sleeping on watch, it can be the end of their career.

It was about 0200. We weren’t conducting any operations. We were steaming on in a black night with nothing going on. I’m sure most of the watch team on the bridge was bored and had to work hard at keeping themselves from falling asleep.

I quietly walked onto the dimly lit bridge unannounced. They couldn’t see me in the dark. I was silent; just observing. I wasn’t sneaking up on anybody, but I also wasn’t intending to announce my presence. I was assessing the team’s performance. I looked for the OOD to check in with him. As my eyes adjusted to the gloom, I could see that he was leaning against the air conditioner unit, which was about waist high in the wall just behind my Captain’s chair. He was about three feet from me, to my left. I walked over and stood next to him.

This particular OOD had served as an officer on the ship for a long time. I knew him well. He was one of my better OODs. He was an experienced professional. He also functioned as one of my assistant maintenance officers under the Chief Engineer. I knew that he was extremely busy. At this particular time he was preparing for multiple inspections of the ship’s equipment under his care.

As I stood there mere inches away completely motionless, it became evident that he was unaware of my presence. I whispered to him, “Are you asleep?” He didn’t respond. I leaned even closer and asked in a low voice, “OOD, are you asleep!?”

He awoke with a start. When he realized who was asking if he was asleep, he was petrified. I could sense in the darkness that he was afraid for his very existence. He stammered quietly, “Sir… I’m, I’m, I’m sorry.”

He was at a complete loss for words. He knew I could bring him up on charges that would end his career. He had just been temporarily promoted to Commander. His new rank would’ve been stripped and his career stopped.

At that instant it occurred to me that the proper thing was not to throw the book at him, but that the lesson he would learn from this experience would last for the rest of his life without me having to say another word. I thought that was punishment enough.

Following are some of the questions I ask when navigating an ethical quandary:

1. The first step is to assess the situation. What is the gravity of the offense and what are the potential repercussions for discipline?

2. What contextual factors are in play? In this case, what is the demanding nature of the OOD’s other duties, wrapped in the broader context of my ship’s military discipline and accountability?

3. What is the potential impact on all parties involved? What are the consequences of punitive action against the long-term lessons the officer would learn from the experience?

4. Was it appropriate to show empathy by considering the officer’s service history, circumstances and the pressure he was under?

5. Was it prudent to err on the side of mercy, recognizing that the officer’s momentary lapse in vigilance might not warrant the full weight of punitive measures? Or, did I need to hold him up as an example for all on the ship to maintain standards?

What you will discover is that true ethical dilemmas have no right answer. It’s ultimately a choice between two reasonable decisions. Leaders must act with integrity and authenticity and consistency aligning their actions with their values and principles. My decision to show leniency was rooted in the OOD’s integrity and commitment. I felt that I was upholding the best interests of all involved. To this day, I think I made the right call.

“Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do
and what is right to do.”

-Potter Stewart

Lead from your heart. Lead to Win.

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