The Commanding Officer is always held to a higher standard than any other position. The Commanding Officer is the mainstay of the crew and is often the barometer of the crew's moral and enthusiasm. It is the responsibility of the Commanding Officer to set an example for the crew at all times, both in character and out, by getting the Mission Briefing out and posted on time and getting their logs out and posted before the deadline. The actions of the Commanding Officer reflect on the ship/station and the crew and is often the basis of judgment on the caliber of the crew.
Primary goal is to obtain the mission objective.
The mission objective is set by the SM at the beginning of each episode. It is up to the Commanding Officer to come up with a plan of action to accomplish the goals set out. This objective is the underlying reason for any action taken by the crew and must be achieved if even remotely possible. Dire consequences may occur if the mission objective is not met.
Secondary goal is the safety and security of ship and crew.
While obtaining the mission objective, the safety of the crew and ship must be kept to the fore, although it is not the primary goal. There will be times when damage to either crew or ship may be necessary to achieve the mission objective, but this course may only be taken when all other options have been exhausted. It is customary that an inquiry will take place upon the death of any crew member or the destruction of a ship.
Mission Briefings
Mission Briefing each week outlining orders for each senior officer/department to help achieve the mission objective. The Mission Briefing is the platform for focusing the crew's actions toward completing the mission. At least 48 hours prior to the session's start it should be distributed to the crew and SM via email. Afterwards it should be posted to subspace. A different Mission Briefing should be written prior to each game session, even if the gameplay is continuing over several sessions. It should be brief and concise and include something for each department to do so that all players can begin the session focused on an activity. There may be times when a certain player's position is not needed during a session. Regardless, something should be assigned to them whether it be in assisting another player or a task pertaining to regular ship's business.
Direction of senior crew during missions
It is the Commanding Officer's duty to oversee the crew in coordination with the XO. The CO has the right to countermand any orders given and has the final say whether the ship may open fire upon an enemy. The CO determines the course and speed for flight control. The CO is responsible for the final say on any assignment/order given by another senior staff.
The Commanding Officer has the final responsibility for any and all actions taken by their crew both on and off duty. If any actions involves the local authorities, it is the Commanding Officer's responsibility to run interference and establish the crewmembers guilt and innocence independently. In the case of false imprisonment, it is the Commanding Officer's responsibility to negotiate the crewmember's release. If the crew's actions jeoperdize the cause, it is up to the CO to resolve the situation by any means necessary.
Letters of condolences for the surviving family members of crew killed.
Because many of the personnel are fugitives and refugees, it is difficult to determine the next of kin for many. The Commanding Officer is responsible for writing a letter of condolence to those families that are known. This letter shall contain a brief and discreet description of the final moments and or acts of the crewmember and a few words expressing the Alliance's deep sorrow and gratitude for the sacrifice their loved ones gave. Any medals or commendations for the deceased shall be forwarded when it is safe.
Finalization of crew transfers, awards, promotions and/or disciplinary actions.
The Commanding Officer has the final say in regards to transfers, awards, promotions and/or disciplinary actions. These will be first screened by the XO and then brought to the Commanding Officer's attention by the XO. In regards to promotions, a review session with the XO and/or the Department Head will be conducted and all factors weighed, but it is the Commanding Officer's final decision that will stand after taking into consideration the recommendations of the XO and /or Department Head.. A Commanding Officer may award medals and/or awards without conferring with their XO or anyone else. A Commanding Officer may overrule the disciplinary action taken by the XO or may add additional reports to the crewmember's record. All awards, promotions, transfers and disciplinary actions must be reviewed and finalized by the high command before taking effect.
Second tier for settling disputes between crew members (In character).
The Commanding Officer is the second tier in any crewmember disputes after the XO. It is the Commanding Officer's responsibility to listen impartially to all sides and make their decision based on facts, not conjecture. it is customary that when appropriate, the XO shall be included in the deliberations and to assist in whatever recommended action is required to settle the dispute.
Liaison between players and SM.
The Commanding Officer is the first link in the chain of command to the SM. In the event that a player has an issue or a situation, it is the Commanding Officer's responsibility to contact the SM and assist in the resolution of the situation.
Warnings and intervention of players who are delinquent in logs/attendance and/or participation during missions.
One of the responsibilities of the Commanding Officer is to run interference with players that may be having problems with logs/attendance or participation. If necessary, it is the responsibility of the Commanding Officer to arrange a meeting with the player, SM and the XO for counseling into the best way to assist the player in resolving the delinquency.
Assist in the posting of logs to the board when needed.
It is the Commanding Officer's responsibility to make certain that each player is able to post to their logs to the board. If not then it is the responsibility of the Commanding Officer to either post them or delegate the posting to either the XO or another officer.
Make sure that each player is tasked at least something during mission (if possible pertaining to the mission).
It is up to the Commanding Officer to make sure that each player has some task in each mission and is occupied during the mission. If at all possible the task should relate to the storyline or at least enhance the storyline of the arc. Cross delegation is permissible if one player is not tasked and another is overtasked.
Research and distribution of additional information that might help enhance and further game play (i.e.: Weapons specs and ship specs of opposing ships. Things that would be in the Star Wars world.)
It is one responsibility of the Commanding Officer to either research or assign research of any additional information needed by the crew for that current arc. The Commanding Officer will then gather the materials and distribute it to either all the players on the crew or the ones that the information effects.
Coordinating with SM for distribution of additional information that might be needed in a general way to the players. (i.e.: Description of planets, cultures that the characters are dealing with, etc.)
The Commanding Officer will assist the SM in the distribution of specific information pertaining to the storyline. This will also pertain to any NPCs that are assisting in the arc. The Commanding Officer is responsible for making sure that the NPCs are included in the mail string for the duration of their playing.
Reading of all logs/supplementals and OOMs of the crew.
The Commanding Officer should read everything submitted by the crew and comment if appropriate.
Editing of transcript or assignment of an editor.
It is the Commanding Officer's responsibility to either edit the transcript themselves or assign an editor.
Updating of mail string with the departure and/or arrival of crew.
It is the Commanding Officer's responsibility to keep the mail string updated and to redistribute it in the event of a change.
Welcome letter for all new players with information on ship, crew and current mission.
It is the Commanding Officer's responsibility to send out a welcome letter to each new player and provide them with any information necessary to ensure a seamless entry into the current episode.
Distribution of information of new player and new crewmember to existing players.
It is the responsibility of the Commanding Officer to make certain that the new crewmember is introduced to the existing crew and to distribute the new mail string with the new crewmember's email included.
Evaluation of crew members and recommendations for promotions/demotions or no-action.
It is the responsibility of the Commanding Officer to arrange a meeting with the XO and/or SM to discuss crew evaluations on a regular basis and to decide on the appropriate action for each crewmember based on their attendance, participation, logs and attitude both in character and out.
Coordinate with the SM over player disciplinary actions.
The Commanding Officer is responsible for bringing any discipline problems to the SM's attention and to work with the SM to resolve the situation. In the event the situation can be handled within the command structure, it is the Commanding Officer's responsibility to keep the SM informed as to any disciplinary action required/taken.
Be first tier to settle disputes between players.
It is the Commanding Officer's responsibility to arbitrate any player disputes and keep the SM apprised of the situation. If the Commanding Officer is unable to resolve the situation then it is the Commanding Officer's responsibility to arrange a meeting with the players and the SM for further arbitration.
The Commanding Officer has authority over every person on their ship/station until they are relieved from command. The XO has authority over every member of the crew.
Generally only the Commanding Officer and the SM have any say in out of character matters with the SM as the ultimate authority. If there is a disagreement between the Commanding Officer and the SM, either party can take the issue to their FM (Fleet Manager). If no resolution is reached then the matter can be taken by the FM to the DM (Division Manager). If there still is an issue then the DM has the right to take it to the GM (Game Manager) who has the final say in the matter.
During a battle, time is of the essence so the normal issuance of orders is usually suspended. During normal operations the Commanding Officer will often give an order either directly or indirectly and leave it up to the XO to make certain it is carried out. During a battle the Commanding Officer will always give an order directly to whichever officer the order pertains to, bypassing the XO. The XO will pay close attention and fill in any gaps that may occur during this hectic time. For example: The Commanding Officer may be issuing orders for the FP1 to fly a certain evasive maneuver while the XO instructs the CTO to raise shields. They must always work as a team, complimenting each other in a show of unity. At all times the XO must defer to the Commanding Officer, although they are not only encouraged but expected to give their advice and insights to the best solution to the situation. Advice the Commanding Officer is expected to take into consideration.
The one cardinal rule is...only the Commanding Officer may give the order to fire weapons. Regardless of the situation and what anyone on the bridge may think is the correct action. The order to fire must always originate from the Commanding Officer or the XO if the Commanding Officer is injured and cannot take command. There are times when the Commanding Officer may order the CTO to 'fire at will' or 'fire at your discretion'. In this event, the CTO may fire whenever they think it is the most opportune time without waiting for an order each time.
Likewise the fighters can continue evasive maneuvers at their discretion if ordered to take evasive action without a particular maneuver being dictated.
The XO may countermand any order given by any officer except for the Commanding Officer. The Commanding Officer, of course, can countermand any orders given on the ship regardless of who gave them, unless the Commanding Officer is deemed unfit by medical ofor some reason and is temporarily relieved of command. Even if an Admiral is on board visiting, the Commanding Officer is still in charge and may countermand any order the Admiral gives to any of the crew (although it is not advisable without a darn good reason).
In the case where an officer was given two conflicting orders by two superior officers except for the XO or CO, the officer must obey the most senior officer. If that is not distinguishable, then the officer may take their case to the XO for arbitration. If an order was given that was immoral, then the officer may refuse to obey without fear of prosecution. but they must be able to prove that the order went against the rules, regulations and policies of Starfleet.
If it is questionable then they may take their concerns to the XO or the Commanding Officer. Generally though, unless the Commanding Officer and/or the XO are under the influence of some Alien entity or are ill, the officer usually follows the order, trusting that their commanding officers have a good reason for the order and will not betray them
Letters of commendation
This applies to both in character and out of character. Any senior officer may send to the Commanding Officer a l etter of commendation to award one or more of their subordinates for an exceptional job well done. The XO and/or the Commanding Officer may submit letters for any member of the crew including each other. It is then the Commanding Officer's responsibility to bring it to the SM and discuss whether the letter has merit or not. The XO is usually involved in this discussion as well unless, of course, it is the XO that is being discussed. If the XO is submitting a letter about the Commanding Officer than the XO may take it straight to the SM bypassing the normal chain of command. If the request has merit then the SM will add that to the character's file (Note: This does not mean the player's file only the character that is on the ship/station where the request was made. A letter will be sent to the recipient. There are three levels of Letters of Recommendations. These are dependent upon the degree of merit. They are listed here from the highest honor on down:
Following is a list of actions that merit a Letter of Commendation:
Commendation
TO: {Abv. Rank & Char. Full Name} {Current Position / Ship Name}
CC: {CO Abv. Rank & Char. Full Name}, CO {Ship Name}
FROM: {Ship or station high commanding officer (SM's Character)}
DATE: {Date}
SUBJECT: Service Award
{Abv. Rank & Char. Full Name>}
By the request of the , we are pleased to present you with the Letter of Commendation for on this date . This award will be recorded on your service record. Congratulations and keep up the excellent work.
{Ship or station high commanding officer (SM's Character)}
Rewarding Good Effort By the Player
Each player's file has a comments area that can be viewed by the staff. This area is reserved for both favorable and unfavorable comments about the player...not their characters. The Commanding Officer or XO can send their remarks to the SM and if approved, the SM will post them in the player's file. Only the SM is allowed to post into these comments. If either the Commanding Officer or the XO is a staff member, they still need to send their comments to their SM for posting.
Promotions
The Commanding Officer, XO and the SM must meet and evaluate the players and determine whether they are entitled to a promotion or not. There are various factors that come into play:
There are 3 actions that can be taken. A promotion, a demotion or a 'no action'. These are explained in detail in the players handbook. Note: It is possible that there may be an outstanding player that deserves promotion but their character may not due to some action they had their character do. The promotion is primarily for the character...not the player. It is deemed a courteous gesture that when this situation arises a personal letter from the Commanding Officer explaining that they are aware that the player is exceptional...it is their character that is not getting the promotion. Most times, when a player deliberately makes their character conduct inappropriate actions they are aware of the consequences.
Once the decision has been made the SM will apply the appropriate action to the player's character file. Following is an example of a letter of promotion and a letter of 'no action'. If a letter of 'no action' is sent, it is deemed a courtesy that the Commanding Officer also write a personal letter explaining why in more detail.
TO: {Abv. Rank & Char. Full Name} {Current Position / Ship Name}
CC: {CO Abv. Rank & Char. Full Name}, CO {Ship Name}
FROM: {Ship or station high commanding officer (SM's Character)}
DATE: {Date}
SUBJECT: Letter of Commendation
{Abv. Rank & Char. Full Name>}
By the request of {Abr. Rank and Last Name of Commanding Officer} you have been awarded a {Level of Letter if any} Letter of Commendation for {Specific Reason} on this date of {DDMMMYYYY}. This commendation will be recorded on your permanent record. Congratulations and keep up the excellent work.
{Ship or station high commanding officer (SM's Character)}
{Abr. Rank and Last Name of Character}
This letter is to inform you that per the evaluation guidelines of Star Wars: Galactic Forces, your performance and record onboard the {Ship or station name} has been reviewed by the Command Crew and SM. The decision has been made that, at this time, no action will be taken. Please be assured that the Command Staff has every confidence in your abilities as a player and character amongst this crew.
If you would like to discuss the reasons for this decision, you may contact either the Commanding Officer or SM and we would be happy to provide feedback on your involvement in Star Wars: Galactic Forces. Per the guidelines for evaluation, your character will be reviewed again within the next five months. All of us look forward to continued game play with you and your character.
{SM Name}
{SM Email Address}
Unfortunately there are times when poor effort by a player must be addressed. It is the Commanding Officer's and the XO's duty to try and intervene before disciplinary action is taken. If it is an in character problem then the matter should be taken up solely in character. Any out of character problems should be addressed out of character and privately between the command staff and the player. The SM should be kept informed of any situation and if necessary, should be included in any discussions with the player. Never should a player be disciplined in public before the rest of the other players.
In Character
If a member of the crew needs a verbal reprimand, it is the XO's duty to conduct it in private with the crewmember. This may be done in the Commanding Officer's Ready Room if the Commanding Officer is not using it or the Briefing Room. I f the XO deems it necessary, the Commanding Officer may be included in the discussion.
Out of Character
If a player requires a verbal reprimand it should be conducted in a privately with that player by the Commanding Officer, with the XO and possibly the SM included. If the SM is not required to be there, they should also be informed of the situation and a copy of all conversation with the player forwarded to the SM.
In Character
If a member of the crew warrants a written letter of reprimand, it is the XO's duty to draw one up and present it to the Commanding Officer for review. Then the Commanding Officer will forward it to the Admiral (SM) for approval for it to be placed in the crewmember's file (character's file). The letter should state exactly what the reason for the reprimand is and the outcome of that action.
Out of Character
The Commanding Officer may send a letter to the player with a copy going to the SM and the XO. This is for player actions only. The SM may decide to become involved or not depending on the situation. The Commanding Officer is well within their rights to discuss the situation with the XO and the SM first before taking this action. Depending on the severity of the undesirable behavior, the Commanding Officer may send comments to the SM which, upon approval by the SM, can be posted into the player's comments.
Demotions
Often times a player may have their character purposely display conduct unbecoming of an officer or have them perform some action that warrants a demotion. This should be brought to the Commanding Officer by the XO. If the action warrants a demotion, a report will be written by the Commanding Officer and sent to the SM. Upon the Admiral's approval the SM will enter the demotion into the character's file and drop them to the next lowest rank. It is courtesy for the Commanding Officer to address the player and double-check that they are aware that their character's actions can result in a demotion. Often times the player is unaware that one of the consequences may be a demotion for their character. If that is the case, often times a reprimand will be issued and placed in the character's file instead of the demotion.
In Character
There are certain punishments that a senior officer can assign to lower ranking crew members. If the crewmember thinks they are being treated unfairly by the senior officer they have the right to take their case to the XO. If the senior officer is the XO or the Commanding Officer, the crewmember must complete the punishment regardless of their feelings about the matter. Following is a few examples of punishments. This is in no way a definitive list but just a reference:
Out of Character
Usually all out of character punishments are conducted by the Commanding Officer, SM and the XO together in agreement. These may be anything from suspension for one or two missions up to complete expulsion from the ship/station. If expulsion is decided then it is taken completely out of the Commanding Officer's and XO's hands and dealt with by the SM through their chain of command.