Nephew was in the navy right out of high school and was trained to work in the boiler room. He often had to work 2-3 days straight because there was no one able to relieve him of duty. When he finally got off his shift, he only had six hours to shower, sleep and eat. This schedule often did not allow him to even get to the mess in time for meals, so many days he ate most of his meals from care packages his mom sent.
I don’t think its the training, but the extremely demanding schedules all the navy is under due to lack of personnel and increasing demands which put them out to sea for longer periods.
My nephew never told anyone the conditions under he worked until just recently when we asked him specific questions. He said it was a miracle there aren’t more accidents given how exhausted everyone is on board.
That has been the life of an enlisted sailor since time began. We sucked it up and did what was required. But today’s young “adult” can’t be depended on to step up. With exceptions, of course.
But if the enlisted men informed the OOD of the other ship, the fault is all on him. Or her. Or zer.
It is a double problem with the basic war time footing that our sailors have been under since 9/11 which can put our sailors into being mind numbed robots like your nephew.
Also, that war time footing and exhaustion cuts into or eliminates the necessary seamanship training needed from the CO/XO, other officers down to the enlisted sailors on watch while the ship is underway.
The lack of good underway training and being dead tired is a deadly combination.