A comparison of the managerial characteristics of mid-grade Navy unrestricted line officers

Abstract

The Navy currently has a fully fledged occupational database for all enlisted ratings in pay grades E-1 through E-9 but no complementary, comprehensive database for its officers. There are several reasons for this, including the Navy's desire that its line officers' responsibilities not be too narrowly defined. The Navy wants its officers to be well­ versed in many areas. ready and willing to take on new and challeng­ing assignments. Another reason is the Navy's focus on the military leader rather than the military manager. Both aspects are part of the professional naval officer, however, and should be given equal weight in the occupational research arena. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the managerial characteristics of mid-grade Unrestricted Line officers to determine whether there are discernible differences by designator and pay grade. It is hoped that defining these differences and similarities will be of value in managing job classification, staffing qualifications, training requirements, and job performance of Navy officers.