The Captain had just taken command a month or so previous to the accident. There is noway he can evaluate staff fitness in such short order.
The instant he says “I relieve you” at the change of command ceremony, the new Captain assumes 100 per cent responsibility for everything and everyone on that ship. It is his responsibility to qualify the personnel that will handle the ship during their watch. By definition, if they are deficient in carrying out their duties, the Captain is deficient in carrying out his responsibility. That is how our Navy operates. These issues of watch qualification will be examined during the investigation and will be discussed at the Courts Martial if one should occur.
He was the XO of the Fitzgerald from November of 2015 until he became Captain a month or so ago.
As XO he should have known the crew and their capabilities better than anyone else.
It isn’t as if this guy just popped into existence a month or so ago.