I've heard that if an army/marine/air force captain (an O-3, equivalent to a navy/Starfleet lieutenant) is on a ship, he is called "major" rather than captain, since a ship can have only one captain. What do you call a naval captain (O-6), however, who is on a ship not his own (either in real naval parlance or in the Starfleet universe)? He can't be nominally "promoted" like a marine captain to a marine major, since the next highest rank -- admiral (or commodore) then outranks the ship's captain. Is he nominally "demoted," i.e., do people call him commander? Is the one-captain rule waived for other naval personnel, as opposed to the lower army/marine/air force "captains"?
What do you call Capt-ranked officers if they are not the ship's capt?
- Thread starter Puritan
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Re: What do you call Capt-ranked officers if they are not the ship's c
I don't think the US Navy does that any more, everyone knows who "The Captain" is. The British use to call you major to prevent the crew from being confused as to who was actual in comand (I believe).
I don't think the US Navy does that any more, everyone knows who "The Captain" is. The British use to call you major to prevent the crew from being confused as to who was actual in comand (I believe).
Re: What do you call Capt-ranked officers if they are not the ship's c
Anyone who hold the rank captain is called "Captain" regardless if it's the Navy rank or the Army rank. Sometimes on boats the Captain that's in command is called "Skipper" or referred to as the "Old Man."
Anyone who hold the rank captain is called "Captain" regardless if it's the Navy rank or the Army rank. Sometimes on boats the Captain that's in command is called "Skipper" or referred to as the "Old Man."
Re: What do you call Capt-ranked officers if they are not the ship's c
And a Cpt. in the Army is a Capt., either in a staff position or a leadership one.
Well sort of. Then you are not 'the captain,' but the commanding officer.
And a Cpt. in the Army is a Capt., either in a staff position or a leadership one.
Re: What do you call Capt-ranked officers if they are not the ship's c
The Commanding Officer IS "the Captain" regardless of rank.
Even an O-5 Commander in command of a Frigate would be called "Captain" by his officers and crew.
NIUPonyBoy said:
The Commanding Officer IS "the Captain" regardless of rank.
Even an O-5 Commander in command of a Frigate would be called "Captain" by his officers and crew.
Re: What do you call Capt-ranked officers if they are not the ship's c
There's a difference between captain the rank and captain the position.
There's a difference between captain the rank and captain the position.
Re: What do you call Capt-ranked officers if they are not the ship's c
Definitely.
You don't have to be a Captain to be "the Captain" and you don't have to be "the Captain" to be a Captain.
Definitely.
You don't have to be a Captain to be "the Captain" and you don't have to be "the Captain" to be a Captain.
Re: What do you call Capt-ranked officers if they are not the ship's c
The official US Navy position is that the commanding officer alone is called "Captain" or "The Captain." The actual rank doesn't matter. Any other officer with the rank of captain, navy or otherwise, is supposed to be addressed as "Captain (last name)," but not simply as "Captain."
The Royal Navy used to do something similar with the second in command of a battleship or cruiser, who was "The Commander." It's a little confusing sometimes if you read something old about, say, "the commander of the battleship Renown," they are actually talking about the XO.
The US Navy used to have a tradition whereby a USMC captain who commanded a ship's marine detachment was called "major," more like a nickname than anything official. Shipboard marine detachments are long gone, now. Royal Marine officers used to be given a temporary one-grade promotion when they served aboard ship, so a captain would be called major, but a lieutenant would be called captain.
--Justin
The official US Navy position is that the commanding officer alone is called "Captain" or "The Captain." The actual rank doesn't matter. Any other officer with the rank of captain, navy or otherwise, is supposed to be addressed as "Captain (last name)," but not simply as "Captain."
The Royal Navy used to do something similar with the second in command of a battleship or cruiser, who was "The Commander." It's a little confusing sometimes if you read something old about, say, "the commander of the battleship Renown," they are actually talking about the XO.
The US Navy used to have a tradition whereby a USMC captain who commanded a ship's marine detachment was called "major," more like a nickname than anything official. Shipboard marine detachments are long gone, now. Royal Marine officers used to be given a temporary one-grade promotion when they served aboard ship, so a captain would be called major, but a lieutenant would be called captain.
--Justin
Re: What do you call Capt-ranked officers if they are not the ship's c
Really?
Why's that?
Really?
Why's that?
Re: What do you call Capt-ranked officers if they are not the ship's c
As defense budgets shrank in the 1990s, the top brass decided those marines could be better used elsewhere. And it's hard to argue with that, a carrier mardet didn't really do anything security-wise that sailors couldn't do, they were more ceremonial than anything.
--Justin
As defense budgets shrank in the 1990s, the top brass decided those marines could be better used elsewhere. And it's hard to argue with that, a carrier mardet didn't really do anything security-wise that sailors couldn't do, they were more ceremonial than anything.
--Justin
Re: What do you call Capt-ranked officers if they are not the ship's c
Yeah, I agree with that entirely. The Nimitz MARDET was pretty much useless. If I recall correctly the only REAL thing they did was provide armed guards for the dudes who stocked the shipboard ATMs. Once we lost the MARDET we just used Ship's Force personnel for the same thing.
Yeah, I agree with that entirely. The Nimitz MARDET was pretty much useless. If I recall correctly the only REAL thing they did was provide armed guards for the dudes who stocked the shipboard ATMs. Once we lost the MARDET we just used Ship's Force personnel for the same thing.
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