Real-Life Decision Making
Demining is a difficult career. Never have you believed this more than as you sit listening to the briefing for this new assignment.
"These natives are not trusting of the military," the operational commander is telling you. "The military is responsible for the deaths of their loved ones and the destruction of their village. It doesn't matter that it was not our military. They see the uniform, not the color of it.
"They will not trust you," he continues. "And they will not help you. You're on your own with this assignment. You'll have to find the mines and do the deactivation on your own. You won't have help from the village."
After the briefing, you're wondering what you have gotten yourself into. How hard could it really be? During the two-hour drive to the village, you have plenty of time to contemplate that question.
Naturally, you are pleasantly surprised when you arrive in the village and before you can get out of your vehicle, the villagers have pushed close. They all seem very happy to see you, and the children are all pulling you in different directions. You finally manage to get away long enough to set your gear down, then others appear.
You learn that they know where there are mines that need to be deactivated, and immediately they lead you to a large bomb and several piles of unexploded ordnance behind what's left of the school building.
Then, another young man appears, and he wants to lead you to a minefield. You follow, and several of the villagers follow you. When he reaches the edge of the minefield, he motions for you to follow.
You ask if the field has been mapped, and the young man shakes his head. No, he knows this field well. He has been through it many times. You pause, unsure of whether you should follow. On one hand, if you follow, you run the risk of the young man being wrong. On the other, if you do not follow, you will lose the trust of the villagers.
What do you do?