[MindBender26]

>I read the comment section on the fitrep and it seems positive to me. What am I missing?

You're not missing it. The comment section is.

It's basically boilerplate. A reviewer would never write anything he could be criticized for. Your not missing anything. A good OER would cite many instances illustrating superior performance in the rated areas, be at least one attached page if not more, talk about his future, the need to promote him ASAP, give him a command at sea, get him admitted to the "good" schools, get him some Pentagon-level staff time, sone Joint Assignments, etc.

This is like the retirement speech for Strom Thurmund. Vanilla, meaningless.

Look at the comparative categorical ratings for the reality. Any good officer got "Straight A's"

[CatoRenasci]

Exactly! Where is the "promote this officer immediately and assign him to a combat command" or "the senior noncommissioned officers of the battalion [the senior chief petty officers onboard the ship] are unanimous and vocal in praise of Capt. Y as a combat commander: they regard him, as do I and all of the officers who have observed him in action, as remarkably cool under fire, with superior judgment and unerring instincts as a leader." etc.

[El Gato]

It's basically boilerplate. A reviewer would never write anything he could be criticized for. Your not missing anything.

Well, the "enemy initiated firefight" comment is a little negative. One is supposed to take the fight to the enemy, not just respond when attacked. But not being up on the Naval officer rating verbiage "code" of the day, I can't say just how negative that comment was intended to be.