CDR Jennifer Charlton, the Executive Officer of the Navy Supply Corps School, was invited to the Naval Leadership & Ethics Center (NLEC) in Newport, R.I., on Oct. 25, 2024, to share her first-hand experiences in a case study that focused on the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) during the early days of COVID-19. As the former Principal Assistant for Logistics (PAL) on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, CDR Charlton was able to bring a unique personal perspective on the unprecedented events that unfolded on board. She helped the students discover and reflect on the challenges, emotions, and complexities the TR’s crew faced during that critical and controversial time.
The Intermediate Leadership Course case study, facilitated by NLEC's Director of Training CAPT Matthew P. McMahon, centered around the difficult decisions that were made during the months of March to June 2020 and provided the opportunity for the future supply officers to learn about risk management, the ethical dilemmas they may face in the fleet, and the importance of unwavering leadership.
Reflecting on her own experiences, CDR Charlton said, “Leadership is never easy. We have to make hard decisions. I check myself every day and ask, ‘Is it unfair, unethical, or immoral?’”
It’s learning experiences and collaborations like these that enrich our leaders-in-training and deepen their understanding of ethics and responsibility and will ultimately strengthen the Supply Corps and Navy as a whole.
