On Fri, 14 May 2004 20:14:44 GMT, (Derek
Lyons) wrote:

OM om@our_blessed_lady_mary_of_the_holy_NASA_researc h_facility.org
wrote:

...And I'm cuing Derek in on this one for his comments: The "Kobiashi
Maru" scenario they used to give was this: you're stationed on a sub.

And like the fictional Kobayashi Maru this one is filled with holes
and contradictions in an attempt to force the trainee into giving the
right answer without actually training him on how to reach that
conclusion. In the ST KM scenario, the pre-ordained answer is 'die
gallantly'. In your scenario, it's the Naval line; 'An officer can be
wrong, but he cannot be indecisive or hesitant'.

....And that, as we were later made to understand during the final
"Captain's Table" course that was always held at 0700 for no reason
other than to mess with our senior year partying, was what that
particular exam was about. The only thing the unit CO wished could be
changed was that each midshipman was given x number of seconds to make
the decision, but CNET didn't want to go *that* intensive. Wait until
they get to actual service was apparently their idea.

The simple fact of the matter is this; You do not launch, *EVER*
without positive launch authority, *EVER*.

....Where nukes are concerned, yes. Conventional weapons don't fall
under that category, apparently.

(Such authority can be obtained by means other than a flash message, but that's enough said
on that topic.)

....Agreed. No sense talking about the dolphin/porpoise relay system
they developed, as it'll give Rand something else to twist into
nonsense :-P

How we would have reacted as individuals was something rarely
discussed, as an incorrect launch was a nightmare scenario, completely
contrary to our training and philosphy. How I would have reacted
personally is matter between myself and $DIETY.

....And again, it was only raised during two points in the program:
during a second-year course on leadership and following orders, and
the "Captain's Table" course, which was, IMHO, both the biggest waste
of sleep but the most insightful course I've ever taken. Everything
we'd been taught was actually put into place where it all gelled and
made sense. Wasn't as fun as Weapons Systems I & II, but it opened my
eyes to why we were being taught what we were taught and why it was
being taught that way.

....And, just for the record, while I won't say which answer I chose, I
will point out that I'd also added a D) option of my own just to screw
with the NOI giving the exam:

D) Shoot the Captain, take over the sub, and launch the missiles
myself so I could take the credit and the glory for having rid the
world of the Evil Communist Menace.

....The scary part is that I wasn't the only one who'd made that one
up. Apparently at least one or two midshipmen a year would go that
route just to mess with the NOIs.

OM

--

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