What does a CO/XO do behind the scenes?[/b]
Written by Brian "Ripsnort" Nelson VMF-323 ~Death Rattlers~
Disclaimer: I did not write this to highlight me as an active CO, but to appreciate my past CO's such as =AC= in Warbirds.
Being a Commanding Officer of an online sim squadron is a little like navigating fjords strewn with icebergs, while the ship itself is self-propelled, you must do manual steering! I personally have a lot more respect for CO's that I have generally taken for granted in the past.
Personnel and personal relationships:
A Squadron CO doesn't have to be the best pilot in his outfit, but he must be the best leader. He is constantly in a position of decision from the INBOX of his email to the millisecond decisions in the battlefield… "If I make this decision, what effect would that have on me personally if I were not a CO in this squadron but just a pilot?" A wrong decision in the battlefield can cost you respect! Admitting ones error can GAIN you respect. Being up front is number 1.
We sometimes find ourselves in an awkward position of playing the middleman in an inter-squad squabble or an intra-squad squabble. A good squadron has a clear and concise "Rules and regulations" that are relaxed enough so that people can still have fun online, but strict enough so squabbles don't turn into all out war. My philosophy is basically a modified version of what =AC= in the sim called Warbirds, in short they read like this: PARTICIPATE AND SUPPORT OUR SQUADRON IN A MANNER THAT PROMOTES THE INTERESTS OF VMF-323, AND ITS MEMBERS. In short, that means "Don't be a butthead with all seriousness, hazing is encouraged, but never let it get personal, have fun" This is not our only rule, but sums it up best.
The downside of CO'ing is when you have a troublemaker. Let's say you have a pilot who's obviously very good, however he's a mouth. He can't get enough of himself. Your squadron "reputation" if you care about it might be damaged. Do you want 20-30 guys with low moral because of one "mouth"? CO's have tough decisions to make, some personal decisions are a no brainer, and others take time and psychology to work through.
Ah, then you have the ambitious types! Usually they're new to online sims. You have to treat these fellows with TLC but defined as "Tough Loving Care", not tender! Show them the ropes, if they get a case of "Maverick", get them back in line without allowing them to lose face. You want the enthusiasm present in your squad mates, but you don't want them to ruin the fun for others either. I once found myself in an awkward position of "second guessing" a decision by my CO, back in the Warbirds days (=AC=) I had complained to a squad mate while online of a recent decision the CO had made regarding the squadron movement from "Gold" to "Red" to help balance the arena (Something I choose not to do in my own squadron due to the conflicts)..well, I made the mistake of telling the squaddie while AC was online! I did not know he was online! He immediately sent out an all-points bulletin to the squadron without naming names basically saying "If you have a problem with something I am doing, TALK TO ME ABOUT IT!"…. I highly respected AC for that position and learned my lesson!
In summary, personal decisions that affect the whole squadron is probably the most difficult position a CO must make calls on. He must take multiple personalities, nationalities, and political viewpoints, and mesh them into a fighting machine regardless of their differences. The best way one can accomplish this is "lead by example".
EMAIL:
I've learned to dread email, but like a trip to the dentist, you must do it and be in constant communication with your squadron and available with an open door policy. Unlike the dentist, you must do it DAILY! Some squadron CO's have their XO's (Executive Officers) "do all the dirty work" and that works out fine as long as you and your XO are "on the same wavelength and you probably are, after all, he wouldn't be your XO if you didn't think alike? Personally, I take on more than I should but that's only because I really do enjoy my squadron and have grown very close with many of its members. Personally, I try not to let my inbox go for longer than a couple days. I personally don't answer all email unless its critical. Some squaddies just want to say what they're doing lately and communicate intentions of attendance for practice or upcoming events. Either way, email communication is the catalyst of a squadron. It's a necessary evil the CO or XO must face week in and week out.
RECRUITMENT:
Simply posting on a bulletin board is not enough for recruitment. A good CO or XO will always have his eye open online for a potential pilot. Speaking with someone on a private channel gives more meaning and sincerity to the recruitment process than posting on a bulletin board that "we have openings". Using a combination of both to get the word out is good. If your squadron becomes that sharpened sword that we try to hone them into, recruitment can be a non-factor. Pretty soon you are graciously turning folks away! That's a good sign of squadron successfulness that everyone in the squadron has participated in.
When recruiting, a CO must try to differentiate "Talent" from "Potential Talent/Team player". Personally, you can keep your high scoring Ace with a mouth that runs longer than the Mississippi river and is always making up excuses why he gets shot down…I'd rather have a newbie! Give me a guy I can mold. Give me a guy that enjoys learning, training as a team, someone with a sense of humor. He's the guy that's going to listen, to promote best interests of the squadron. He's the guy that quietly creeps up in the ranks, he's the guy that gets verbally abused by an Ace 6 months down the road because he's started out with a dull sword, learned from using it, and sharpened it into a weapon of force and now HE's the threat!
Summary:
This article is just a small example of what CO's and XO's do behind the scenes, things you do not see are the lists we update constantly with squad mates coming and going, the training documents we create, and painfully detail…the hours we spend trying to formulate "the ultimate attack" in an upcoming Scenario, it just goes on and on. There is no doubt in my mind that the squadron CO turnover rate is very high. Some folks just get plain "burned out"…a lot depends on how well you've formed your squadron. Some squadrons need no maintenance and others need constant maintenance. The bottom line is to ensure that everyone is having fun. After all, that's why we're pissing our girlfriends and wives off right? Log on, fly and have fun!
