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enlisted guys working hard and the officer just standing around "supervising."

This is the Navy way. When I was on the McKee, I would always volunteer for night shift whenever shiftwork was necessary for the sole reason that O-gangers acted as cheese to the bowels of production. Officers tended to drag their feet on EVERYTHING, get in the way when you least needed them, and find every possible way that you might be doing something wrong- especially when they have never seen the job done before. Officers went home at liberty call and night time work was productive and unimpeded by some college boy trying to prove that he was the smartest guy in the room. There were very few officers that I truly respected and genuinely liked. They were usually prior enlisted, and made it to E-7 before going LDO.

they were amazed that an army officer would even talk to them

That was my first impression the first time I met the Colonel in charge of every Marine on Guam. He was a very nice guy that always seemed happy to see me. He even made the Guard Company CO get in the back seat so he could give me a ride on a rainy day.

The guy didn't have a clue about how to relate to other people (though i'm sure he was a good pilot) and seemed to have a rather high opinion of himself.

Everything I ever heard about fighter pilots from my airdale buddies was that they were prima-donnas that had trouble fitting their enlarged craniums under the canopy. C-2 transport pilots enjoyed making them barf on the way to the carrier since the passenger seats on the COD faced the rear of the plane.

The job is completely different for technical disciplines submarine repair, nuclear maintenance, and combat systems (likewise auxiliary systems and weapons handling to a different level).

The officers' jobs isn't to "DO" the work, but to verify it - make sure the people DOING it are safe, the job is secure and is being done right, and the ship/system is safe DURING the job and will operate OK for the next thirty years (or until it's ripped apart for maintenance again!).

There are a few officers who can legitimately "critique" the technical performance of what's going on: these officers are rare, but THAT part of the job (the technical operations and people part and training for the next operator) is the chief's/LPO job. But an officer has three roles different than the average guy:

1. Tactical command and offensive operations. Sit on the fire control panels up front, keep the operational charts and the maps and the ship's course correct to fight. Fighter pilots are up front fighting the same way.

!a. With that are all the "combat support" supervision and emergency reaction stuff: coordinating the DC parties or landing craft on a surface ship, moving airplanes, or fire fighting crews, ....

2. Next is people/division officer stuff: training and personnel and support of the LPO. Keeping the division running (and hopefully) keeping the brass off of the troops so the troops can get routine stuff done.

3. Last (most important?) is QA. Making sure stuff gets done. More important, that it gets done right without killing people or breaking eqpt. That the job is done on time, within budget (yeah right) and to the right specs.

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So, given all these conflicts, and the VERY LITTLE experience (and judgment) of the typical 4-6 year old officer, how does he/she learn when the bend the rules, when to enforce them, and when to IMMEDIATELY get help or authority?

From the LPO and chiefs. But these guys also can make mistakes.

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But as Reactor Controls Officer or SubSafe Controls Officer, or Top Secret Control Officer, or Crypto Controls Officer, (or Navigator updating charts of the Pacific near Guam!.....) "I" (me, not the petty officer) am responsible that the weekly reactor check numbers are correct and meet specs. That the daily and monthly crypto destruction is ACTUALLY done right (and not just radio'ed off at the end of the month with 32 identical signatures!), that the records are signed off, and that the thing will work.

Doohickey, FAS - Anything to correct in this?