Captain Crozier, Commander of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, wrote and emailed a controversial letter that pleaded for help for crew members stricken by the Covid-19 virus in March of 2020. The communication was sent to several recipients and was eventually leaked to the news media. The situation became front-page news and was actively debated in the media. Senior leaders believed that Captain Crozier may have avoided his chain of command for fear that his immediate leader would suppress the issue and expose the sailors to unnecessary danger. His decisions and actions that lead up to his writing of the letter are fraught with ethical dilemmas.

In this assessment you are asked to analyze ethical aspects surrounding Captain Crozier’s decision to widely disseminate the emailed letter

Instructions

Consider the Captain’s decision to send the letter, the manner in which the letter was sent, and the recipient(s) of the letter. Complete both parts of this assessment in a single Word document.

PART 1: ANALYZE THE SCENARIO
Analyze the ethical decision that the Captain faced as it relates to how he communicated his plea and in the context of his position. Consider the sender, receiver, message, and channel.
Analyze the primary failures and successes of the Captain’s communication strategy.  consider how the letter was distributed, the Captain’s possible intent, and the content of the letter.
If this situation had occurred in the private sector and not the military, would the outcomes have been similar or different? Defend your reasoning.