Respectfully disagree. As an 0-1 with less than a year time in grade, I was the platoon leader for two Chaparral platoons in Germany. I had several assigned extra duties, plus pulling Staff Duty Officer at least twice a week.
Within an hour of my first tac eval, the Air Force Wing Commander tabbed me as his unofficial POC on NBC warfare inputs, after his expert, an AF Captain overreacted to an input, and I made the right recommendation.
IOW, once you pin on the brass, you assume the responsibility.
@Night Hides Not Rank matters very little compared to competence once you get away from the flag pole. I personally know of Sgt E-5's that worked as company commanders of indigenous infantry companies in combat with NVA Regular infantry units.
The thing is there is no such critter as "getting away from the flag pole" on a Naval Vessel,and any solid hit can result in the deaths of everyone aboard,and the destruction of a multi-million dollar weapons system to boot.
NO junior officer should EVER be put in command,virtual or actual,of a warship at sea unless every officer senior to him or her has already be killed or severely wounded and there are no other options.
AND.....,most importantly of all,NO junior officer that has command thrust upon them should EVER be court-martialed for failure to perform at a level in a possible/actual combat position they have neither the experience nor the education to to hold. Anybody that can state they expect an 0-1 or 0-2 to act with the experience or professionalism of a 0-4 or 0-5 is both a fool and a liar.
This really pisses me off. I see it as just one more example of the sorry MoFo's in command in the Navy covering each others asses and throwing junior officers to the sharks in order to do it.
I have NEVER heard of a combat command where the ultimate responsibility for the lives and safety,as well as the performance of the command did NOT rest on the shoulders of the senior officer in formal command at the time. The US Navy should be,but wont be,ashamed of themselves.
