Seafarer's Roles

Source: My notes from Seafarer’s professions and ranks - Wikipedia

Captain (Master) - operations directory, department management

Departments: Deck, Engine, Steward, Support

Deck department

Chief mate (First mate) - cargo, supervision, safety and security

Second mate - watch, bridge team, navigation, assisting cargo

Third mate - navigation, safety

Deck cadet - learning mate duties

Boatswain (Bosum) - unlicensed, directing the able seamen and ordinary seamen

Able seaman - ship mooring, navigational watch, helmsman

Ordinary seaman - assisting able seaman

Engine department

Engineering officers - ship and the machinery running, electrical, propulsion, garbage and sewage

Chief engineer - manage engine department, machinery and equipment

Second engineer - supervising the daily maintenance and operation of the engine department, engine control room

Third engineer - boilers, fuel, auxiliary engines, condensate and feed systems

Fourth engineer - assist

Trainee marine engineer - assist

Other: motorman, oiler, wiper

Electro-technical department

Electro-technical officer - electrical systems, assigned work under the chief engineer’s instructions

Steward’s department

Chief steward - directs, instructs, and assigns personnel performing such functions as preparing and serving meals; cleaning and maintaining officers’ quarters and steward department areas; and receiving, issuing, and inventorying stores. The chief steward also plans menus; compiles supply, overtime, and cost control records. The steward may requisition or purchase stores and equipment. Additional duties may include baking bread, rolls, cakes, pies and pastries.

Chief cook - like boatswain in the deck department, preparation and serving of meals, determines timing and sequence of operations required to meet serving times, inspects galley and equipment for cleanliness and proper storage and preparation of food

Wardroom officers

The lieutenants were commissioned officers immediately subordinate to the captain

Sailing master - navigation of sailing

Captain of marines - command marines on ship

Purser - administration, ship supplies (food and drink, clothing, bedding, candles, money)

Surgeon - medical officer, assisted by surgeon’s mates

Chaplain - religious services

Standing officers

Gunner - ship’s naval artillery and other weapons, manage armourer, the gunner’s mate and the yeoman of the powder room.

Carpenter - maintenance and repair of the wooden components of the ship, manage caulker, the carpenter’s mate and the master-at-arms.

Cockpit mates

Originally, a master’s mate was an experienced petty officer, who assisted the master, but was not in line for promotion to lieutenant.[15] By the mid-eighteenth century, he was far more likely to be a superior midshipman, still waiting to pass his examination for lieutenant or to receive his commission, but taking rather more responsibility aboard ship. Six master’s mates

Senior petty officers

Midshipman - master’s mates

Clerk - administrative work

Armourer - maintained and repaired small weapons on the ship.

Caulker - maintained and repair caulking of the ship’s hull.

Ropemaker - made, maintained and repaired ropes

Master-at-arms - discipline aboard ship, assisted by corporals

Petty officers

Yeoman of the sheets - in charge of the rope store

Navy Warship Organization

Source: summary of Typical Ship Organization - United States Naval Reserve Intelligence Program

Administrative Department - recreation, police, postal, media entertainment, personal records
Air Department - air wing management like fueling, moving, control
Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) - industrial level maintenance for the air wing and the ship’s ground support equipment
Chaplain Department - promoting the spiritual, religious and personal morale of embarked military personnel, coordinates personal emergency communications from the American Red Cross, provides pastoral care and counseling, and directs operation of the ship’s library
Communications Department - sends and receives messages to and from other ships, aircraft and shore facilities via various sophisticated electronic equipment. Such equipment includes computers, satellites, cryptographic devices, and high power transmitters and receivers.
Deck Department - see seafaring deck department
Dental Department - comprehensive dental care, encompassing simple preventative care through emergency services for all embarked personnel, Medical and Supply
Engineering Department - see seafaring engineering department
Maintenance Management Department - scheduling and coordination for all off-ship maintenance (i.e., repairs at shipyards or dry docks) and planned organic maintenance
Medical Department - maintaining the health of the crew, the treatment of sick and injured ship’s personnel, disease prevention and the promotion of good health ship-wide, advises the ship’s CO on ship’s hygiene and sanitation conditions
Navigation Department - navigation like direction of travel and the safest sea lanes to traverse. Computations are made using celestial navigation, electronic machinery and visual reports. The Navigation Department is also responsible for executing all military traditions, customs and honors onboard ship.
Operations Department - collecting, cataloging, analyzing and distributing combat information vital to the accomplishment of the ship’s offensive and defensive missions. Head is ship’s Operations Officer, or “Ops.”
- Intelligence, photographic intelligence, local air traffic control, and missile system maintenance are types of services provided by this department
Safety Department - ongoing training and education programs, equipment dangers, procedural hazards, and accident prevention, maintaining posted safety regulations and procedures.
Supply Department - feeding and paying the ship’s crew, including the running of ship’s wardroom(s) and messing spaces.
- This department holds responsibility for the laundry and dry cleaning services, stores, barbershops, and recreation services. This department also stocks spare parts for underway ship and/or aircraft repairs.
- Heading this department is the ship’s Supply Officer, or “Suppo,” a member of the Navy Supply Corps (SC). The Supply Officer may have assistants for disbursing, food service, ship’s store, or wardroom mess.
Training Department - coordination of enlisted advancement exams, reenlistments and coordination of special schools;, handle general damage control and 3M training.
Weapons Department - maintains and operates the ship’s various weapons systems. Personnel of the Weapons Department also assemble, test and maintain bombs, missiles, torpedoes and small weapons ammunition. On smaller ships, this department might fall under the administrative auspices of the Deck Department