Crew Organizational Principles Surface ships traditionally have been organized around a hierarchical rank structure. Officers are separate from enlisted and significant differentiation exists between senior and junior officers and between chief petty officers and other enlisted personnel. There may be some benefit from minor adjustments to standard crew organizational principals, but our traditional officer and enlisted hierarchy has been validated by the test of time and should be retained for the foreseeable future. Civilian manning for surface combatants and expeditionary warfare ships is not contemplated. Initiatives to outsource various support tasks, including food service, general cleaning, working parties, and facilities maintenance, particularly while ships are in port, should be pursued.
Battle groups generate millions of e-mails.
More than ever before the speed with which a decision is reached and implemented is a primary measure of effectiveness. To reduce these time lines, flatter, more decentralized systems and organizations are expected and envisioned for the future. Acceptance of more risk and the rearrangement of accountability may be necessary to meet these new requirements. We must pursue now the operational, watchstanding, and administrative shipboard organizations that will allow us to outthink, outmaneuver and outfight a cunning adversary. In the past, messing and berthing space were allocated as perks of seniority and rank.