............I have spent many hours on a USN Destroyer in CIC and on the bridge and I can tell you you are getting close to the most likely problem. “Something” was going on on the bridge OR CIC. Someone was distracted. Hmmmm...........what can “distract” a young sailor? A pretty young sailor!? Damn right!
So, “one” possibility, and I stress “POSSIBILITY” for those freepers who sometimes miss that qualifier, is that sailors in CIC or on the bridge were engaged in some form of hanky panky with a female sailor.
From my own experience, I don’t think “asleep at their post” was happening. I’ve never seen that. There was a distraction...............and it was a doozy whatever it was. If the OOD was involved in hanky panky with a female sailor at the moment of impact, he should go to Leavenworth for LIFE! 7 young sailors did DIE.
Major Hassan , who murdered nine at Fort Hood was a demented, closeted homosexual Muslim.His court martial was delayed and the information learned about him and his army record were all suppressed. The Obama administration did everything it could to hide the truth. This incident will test the Trump administration. Suspect the truth of what happened will not reflect well on current Navy gender goals, diversity goals and how those policies affected promotions, commissions and duty assignments. Really not confident that the Court Martial will reveal much.
“hanky panky”
My thought as well (for both the OOD - and/or the captain). I can’t think of any other “distraction” that would lead to this level of failure to follow protocol.