Shipboard Organization &

Military Duties of a Naval Officer

NVSC 101

Learning Objectives

Know shipboard command relationships for administrative and operational environments:• Know the organization of various

shipboard watch routines, and the duties and responsibilities of key watchstanders

• Know the shipboard administrative organization and the responsibilities of the: CO, XO, DH, and Division Officer

Learning Objectives

Know shipboard command relationships for administrative and operational environments:• Identify the various conditions of readiness• Know the purpose of the Watch, Quarter, and

Station bill Know the purpose and contents of the

Deck Log and Engineering Log. Describe the authority and duties of a

Naval Officer.

Authority

U.S. Navy Regulations outlines the authority of a Naval Officer. Upon commissioning, an officer is granted the authority and responsibility to perform his or her duties.

Definition - the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to control, command, or determine.

Officer of the Deck

Officer of the Deck (OOD) (Underway)• Safe navigation of the ship• Avoid danger and keep station by issuing the

necessary helm and rudder orders• Make all required reports to the CO• Supervise all personnel on watch• Know the status of the engineering plant• Carry out the routine of the ship• Supervise and conduct OJT for the JOOD and

JOOW

The ‘Deck’

To have the deck means to supervise all functions and maneuvers of the ship• Navigation, weapons, tactics,

engineering, flight ops

Junior Officer of the Deck

OOD usually delegates the Conn to the JOOD

The ‘Conn’• Directs the movement of the ship with

rudder and engine orders

Combat Information Center Watch Officer (CICWO)

Supervises CIC Makes recommendations to the OOD

concerning safe navigation and station keeping

Tactical Action Officer (TAO)

Assigned during wartime steaming or higher threat (deployment)

The TAO is responsible for tactical employment of the ship's weapons systems and defense of the ship

Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW)

Ensures the safe operation of the ship's engineering plant

Command Duty Officer (CDO)

Direct representative of the CO Larger ships may have a CDO

underway, smaller ships only when in port

All persons, regardless of rank, are subordinate to the CDO

OOD Inport

Supervises the quarterdeck, ensures security of the ship

Carries out the ship's routine

Standardized Organization onboard Navy Ships

Minimizes the possibility of overlapping of responsibility

Minimize duplication of assigned personnel and tasks.

Uniformity• Personnel transferred from ship to ship

will know basic organization of each command structure

Ship's Organization

Administrative Chain of Command - Department Heads report to CO through XO.

Operational Chain of Command - Department Heads report directly to CO

Battle Organization Conditions of Readiness

• I: General Quarters - maximum state of readiness; entire crew at battle stations

• II: Special watch for specific mission (ASW – Anti-Submarine Warfare)

Battle Organization

Conditions of Readiness• III: Wartime Steaming, 1/3 of crew on

watch

• IV: Normal Peacetime Steaming

• V: Peacetime Watch Inport - enough personnel onboard to cover emergencies and get underway

Admin Organization

Commanding Officer (CO)• Absolute responsibility: safety, well-

being, and efficiency of his/her command

Safe navigation Preparation of ship for battle Direct ship to engage enemy to the best of

its ability Morale, welfare, and living conditions of

crew

SHIPBAORD ORGINZATION NOTIONAL CRUISER

co

xo

NAV CHENG

MPA DCA AUXO ELECTRO

OPS WEPS CSO AIR BOSS CHAPS

CMC

Admin Organization

Commanding Officer• May delegate authority, but not

responsibility

• Training and education delegated to XO

• Must be a line officer aboard ship

Admin Organization

Executive Officer (XO)

• Second in command, must be ready to assume command in the event CO is unable

• Coordinates all departments• Morale, welfare, discipline, cleanliness• Damage control, supervise operational

plans and skeds….more…

Admin Organization

Executive Officer (XO)

• Preparation of ship's bills and orders• Supervises all education and training• Loading and berthing• Ship's correspondence• Approves liberty and leave

Admin Organization

Department Heads

• Responsible for all aspects of their department

Examples

Admin Organization

Division Officer• Acts as an assistant to the DH by

running a Division, Sailors generally of same rate

• Examples

Admin Organization

Division Supervisors

• LCPO- ideally E-7/E-8

• Leading Petty Officer – E-6

• Work Center Supervisor- E-5, runs 3M (maintenance and material management) program

Inport Watch Organization

CDO• Senior line officer on board• Authorized to take ship to sea if

required• Designated in writing

Quarterdeck• OOD: may be CPO/JO• POOW: OOD's primary assistant;

armed for security• Messenger

Inport Watch Organization

Engineering Watches

• Damage Control Central (DC Central) Watch

• Sounding and Security Watch

Inport Watch Organization

Weapons Rovers

• Armed• Reports to OOD every 30 minutes

Special Watch Routines

General Quarters

Sea and Anchor Detail

Anchoring detail

Anchor watch

Bills and Logs

Watch, Quarter and Station Bill

• Designates personnel by name, rank, and billet for each casualty situation

• Fire, Flooding, Man Overboard, etc.

Bills and Logs Deck Log

• Navigator responsible for proper entries• Includes every occurrence of significance• Includes engine orders, courses, speeds,

positions, weather, damage, accidents, changes in ship's personnel or passengers, records of meetings or courts, reports of inspections.

• Chronological record of all watches• Deck Log can be used as legal evidence!

Bills and Logs Engineering Log

• Daily record, by watches, of all aspects affecting the engineering department including operation of the ship's propulsion and auxiliary machinery systems

Engineer's Bell Book• Chronological record of all orders to

the engine room(s) affecting ship's speed

Summary

Watch Organization Shipboard Organization Battle Organization Personnel Organization Bills & Logs

Review

Battle Organization Conditions of Readiness

• I: General Quarters - maximum state of readiness; entire crew at battle stations

• II: Special watch for specific mission (ASW)

Battle Organization

Conditions of Readiness• III: Wartime Steaming, 1/3 of crew on

watch

• IV: Normal Peacetime Steaming

• V: Peacetime Watch In Port - enough personnel onboard to cover emergencies and get underway

Officer of the Deck

Officer of the Deck (OOD) (underway)• Safe navigation of the ship• Avoid danger and keep station by issuing

the necessary helm and rudder orders• Make all required reports to the CO• Supervise all personnel on watch• Know the status of the engineering plant• Carry out the routine of the ship• Supervise and conduct OJT for the JOOD and

JOOW

Tactical Action Officer (TAO)

Assigned during wartime steaming or higher threat (deployment)

The TAO is responsible for tactical employment of the ship's weapons systems and defense of the ship

Admin Organization

Executive Officer (XO)

• Second in command, must be ready to assume command in the event CO is unable

• Coordinates all departments• Morale, welfare, discipline, cleanliness• Damage control, supervise

operational plans and skeds….more…

Admin Organization

Executive Officer (XO)

• Preparation of ship's bills and orders• Supervises all education and training• Loading and berthing• Ship's correspondence• Approves liberty and leave