Officer of the Deck
Encyclopedia
Officer of the deck is a position in the United States Navy
and United States Coast Guard
that confers certain authority and responsibility. The officer of the deck on a ship is the direct representative of the captain
, having responsibility for the ship.
, with a qualified petty officer
manning the bow. The petty officer manning the bow is called the petty officer of the watch, or POOW. The POOW is in the position of managing who comes and goes, as well as security.
At sea, the officer of the deck is stationed on the bridge and is in charge of navigation and safety of the ship, unless relieved by the captain or a senior qualified line officer. The officer of the deck is assisted by the junior officer of the deck, who is in the process of qualifying as full officer of the deck, and the conning officer, who is also training to become an OOD, but is directly responsible for the maneuvering of the ship. The following positions also assist the officer of the deck on the bridge: boatswain's mate of the watch (BMOW), quartermaster
of the watch (QMOW), and signalman
of the watch (SMOW).
, OPNAVINST 3120.32
Assume that Lieutenant
Smith is the officer of the deck and Lieutenant Doe is his replacement. Lieutenant Doe will check into the Combat Information Center (CIC) to determine any necessary actions that will be expected to occur during the watch, check the navigational track, read any orders, and determine the position of all nearby ships. After this is complete, Lieutenant Doe will state to Lieutenant Smith, "I am ready to relieve you, sir." Lieutenant Smith states, "I am ready to be relieved." He will then brief Lieutenant Doe on any additional information that the replacement should be made aware of, reconfirming the information that Lieutenant Doe has previously gained on his own. When Lieutenant Doe is fully satisfied, he then states, "I relieve you, sir." Lieutenant Smith then states, "I stand relieved. Attention in the pilot house (or bridge), Lieutenant Doe has the deck." An exchange of hand salute
s would also be appropriate, depending on the ship. Lieutenant Doe would then announce, "This is Lieutenant Doe, I have the deck." (The use of the term sir
in the manner indicated occurs without regard to the actual ranks
held by the officers.)
Typically, the junior officer of the deck has the conn, (i.e. control of the engines and rudder). The junior officer of the deck is relieved in a similar manner. The deck and or the conn may be assumed by the captain, simply by announcing the fact or by issuing an order to the helmsman or lee helmsman. For example, the captain may state, "I have the deck and the conn," or "I have the conn," or "Right full rudder, all ahead flank." In the latter case someone (ordinarily the junior officer of the deck) in the pilot house (or bridge) will announce, "The captain has the conn." The conn may also be passed to someone else, for a particular purpose. While the captain may assume the conn, the officer of the deck may order the junior officer of the deck to pass him the conn, "Ensign Pulver, pass me the conn." Ensign Pulver will then state, "This is Ensign Pulver, Lieutenant Doe has the deck and the conn." Lieutenant Doe then announces, "This is Lieutenant Doe, I have the deck and the conn." In an emergency, the officer of the deck can, if he so chooses, assume the conn by announcing, for example, "This is Lieutenant Doe, I have the conn. Hard right rudder, all engines ahead flank." However, in most ships, during normal underway operations, it is generally considered "poor form" to request the JOOD to pass the conn, as a good OOD would be expected to direct the JOOD without the necessity of assuming the conn himself. Thus, the distinction between having the 'deck' and having the 'conn' remains.
These changes in status are marked down in the ship's log.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
that confers certain authority and responsibility. The officer of the deck on a ship is the direct representative of the captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
, having responsibility for the ship.
Overview
In port, the OOD is stationed on the quarterdeckQuarterdeck
The quarterdeck is that part of a warship designated by the commanding officer for official and ceremonial functions. In port, the quarterdeck is the most important place on the ship, and is the central control point for all its major activities. Underway, its importance diminishes as control of...
, with a qualified petty officer
Petty Officer
A petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
manning the bow. The petty officer manning the bow is called the petty officer of the watch, or POOW. The POOW is in the position of managing who comes and goes, as well as security.
At sea, the officer of the deck is stationed on the bridge and is in charge of navigation and safety of the ship, unless relieved by the captain or a senior qualified line officer. The officer of the deck is assisted by the junior officer of the deck, who is in the process of qualifying as full officer of the deck, and the conning officer, who is also training to become an OOD, but is directly responsible for the maneuvering of the ship. The following positions also assist the officer of the deck on the bridge: boatswain's mate of the watch (BMOW), quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
of the watch (QMOW), and signalman
Signaller
In the armed forces, a signaller or signaleer is a specialist soldier or seaman or airman responsible for military communications. Signallers, aka Combat Signallers or signalmen or women, are commonly employed as radio or telephone operators, relaying messages for field commanders at the front line...
of the watch (SMOW).
Responsibilities under way
The following is a list of the OOD's primary duties as prescribed by the Standard Organization and Regulations of the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, OPNAVINST 3120.32
- Keep continually informed concerning the tactical situation and geographic factors that may affect safe navigationNavigationNavigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
of the ship, and take appropriate action to avoid the danger of grounding or collision according to tactical doctrine, the Rules of the RoadInternational Regulations for Preventing Collisions at SeaThe International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 are published by the International Maritime Organization , and set out, inter alia, the "rules of the road" or navigation rules to be followed by ships and other vessels at sea in order to prevent collisions between two or more...
, and the orders of the commanding officerCommanding officerThe commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
or other proper authority. - Keep informed concerning current operation plans and orders, intentions of the officer in tactical commandOfficer in Tactical CommandOfficer in Tactical Command is a NATO term used to designate the naval officer exercising tactical command of a group of ships in a tactical formation such as a task unit, task group, or task force....
and the commanding officer, and such other matters as may pertain to ship or force operations. - Issue necessary orders to the helm and main engine control to avoid danger, to take or keep an assigned station, or to change the course and speed of the ship according to orders of proper authority.
- Make all required reports to the commanding officer. When a command duty officer is specified for the watch, they make the same reports to the command duty officer.
- Ensure that required reports to the OOD concerning tests and inspections and the routine reports of patrols, watches, and lifeboat crewsLifeboat (shipboard)A lifeboat is a small, rigid or inflatable watercraft carried for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard ship. In the military, a lifeboat may be referred to as a whaleboat, dinghy, or gig. The ship's tenders of cruise ships often double as lifeboats. Recreational sailors sometimes...
are promptly originated and that the bridge watch and lookoutLookoutA lookout or look-out is a person on a ship in charge of the observation of the sea for hazards, other ships, land, etc. Lookouts report anything they see and or hear. When reporting contacts, lookouts give information such as, bearing of the object, which way the object is headed, target angles...
s are properly posted and alert. - Supervise and direct the personnel on watch on the bridge, ensure that all required entries are properly made in the ship's deck log, and sign the log at the conclusion of the watch.
- Issue orders for rendering honors to passing ships as required by regulations and custom.
- Ensure that the executive officerExecutive officerAn executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
, command duty officer (when assigned), and department heads concerned are kept informed of changes in the tactical situation, operation schedule, the approach of heavy weather, and other circumstances that would require a change in the ships routine or other action on their part. - Keep informed of the status and current capabilities of the engineering plant and keep the engineering officer of the watch advised concerning boiler power requirements and the operational situation so they may operate the engineering plant intelligently.
- Carry out the routine of the ship as published in the plan of the day and other ships directives, keeping the executive officer advised of any changes that may be necessary.
- Supervise and control the use of the general announcing system; the general, chemical, collision, sonarSonarSonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
, and steering casualty alarms; and the whistle according to the orders of the commanding officer, tactical doctrine, and the rules of the road. - Permit no person to go aloft on the mastMast (sailing)The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
s or stacks or to work over the side except when wind and sea conditions will not expose him or her to danger; and then only when all applicable safety precautions are observed. - Supervise and control all transmissions and acknowledgments on the primary and secondary tactical voice radio circuits, and ensure that proper phraseology and procedures are used in all transmissions.
- Supervise and conduct on-the-job training for the junior officer of the watch, the junior officer of the deck, and enlisted personnel of the bridge watch.
- Assume such other responsibilities as may be assigned by the commanding officer.
- Supervise the striking of the ship's bell to denote the hours and half-hours from reveilleReveille"Reveille" is a bugle call, trumpet call or pipes call most often associated with the military or summer camp; it is chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise...
to tapsTaps"Taps" is a musical piece sounded by the U.S. military nightly to indicate that it is "lights out". The tune is also sometimes known as "Butterfields Lullaby", or by the lyrics of its second verse, "Day is Done". It is also played during flag ceremonies and funerals, generally on bugle or trumpet...
, requesting permission of the commanding officer to strike eight bells at the hours of 0800, 1200, and 2000. - On ships that do not station a damage control watch officer, supervise the maintenance of a log of all fittings that are in violation of the material condition of readiness prescribed. Entries will show the name and rate of the person requesting permission to open a fitting, approximate length of time to be open, and time closed. Anyone who, without permission, violates the material condition of readiness in effect shall be made the subject of an official report.
Relieving the OOD
There is also a very formal method for relieving the officer of the deck.Assume that Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Smith is the officer of the deck and Lieutenant Doe is his replacement. Lieutenant Doe will check into the Combat Information Center (CIC) to determine any necessary actions that will be expected to occur during the watch, check the navigational track, read any orders, and determine the position of all nearby ships. After this is complete, Lieutenant Doe will state to Lieutenant Smith, "I am ready to relieve you, sir." Lieutenant Smith states, "I am ready to be relieved." He will then brief Lieutenant Doe on any additional information that the replacement should be made aware of, reconfirming the information that Lieutenant Doe has previously gained on his own. When Lieutenant Doe is fully satisfied, he then states, "I relieve you, sir." Lieutenant Smith then states, "I stand relieved. Attention in the pilot house (or bridge), Lieutenant Doe has the deck." An exchange of hand salute
Salute
A salute is a gesture or other action used to display respect. Salutes are primarily associated with armed forces, but other organizations and civil people also use salutes.-Military salutes:...
s would also be appropriate, depending on the ship. Lieutenant Doe would then announce, "This is Lieutenant Doe, I have the deck." (The use of the term sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
in the manner indicated occurs without regard to the actual ranks
Military rank
Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...
held by the officers.)
Typically, the junior officer of the deck has the conn, (i.e. control of the engines and rudder). The junior officer of the deck is relieved in a similar manner. The deck and or the conn may be assumed by the captain, simply by announcing the fact or by issuing an order to the helmsman or lee helmsman. For example, the captain may state, "I have the deck and the conn," or "I have the conn," or "Right full rudder, all ahead flank." In the latter case someone (ordinarily the junior officer of the deck) in the pilot house (or bridge) will announce, "The captain has the conn." The conn may also be passed to someone else, for a particular purpose. While the captain may assume the conn, the officer of the deck may order the junior officer of the deck to pass him the conn, "Ensign Pulver, pass me the conn." Ensign Pulver will then state, "This is Ensign Pulver, Lieutenant Doe has the deck and the conn." Lieutenant Doe then announces, "This is Lieutenant Doe, I have the deck and the conn." In an emergency, the officer of the deck can, if he so chooses, assume the conn by announcing, for example, "This is Lieutenant Doe, I have the conn. Hard right rudder, all engines ahead flank." However, in most ships, during normal underway operations, it is generally considered "poor form" to request the JOOD to pass the conn, as a good OOD would be expected to direct the JOOD without the necessity of assuming the conn himself. Thus, the distinction between having the 'deck' and having the 'conn' remains.
These changes in status are marked down in the ship's log.
See also
- NavigationNavigationNavigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
- Passage planningPassage planningPassage planning or voyage planning is a procedure to develop a complete description of a vessel's voyage from start to finish. The plan includes leaving the dock and harbor area, the en-route portion of a voyage, approaching the destination, and mooring, the industry term for this is 'berth to...
- Nautical chartNautical chartA nautical chart is a graphic representation of a maritime area and adjacent coastal regions. Depending on the scale of the chart, it may show depths of water and heights of land , natural features of the seabed, details of the coastline, navigational hazards, locations of natural and man-made aids...
- Nautical publicationsNautical publicationsNautical publications is a technical term used in maritime circles describing a set of publications, generally published by national governments, for use in safe navigation of ships, boats, and similar vessels....