One had to be careful to monitor the practice informally, though, because sometimes the enlisted men could be too hard on themselves--no sail locker justice.  A  retired Master Chief Petty Officer in my church, a Pearl Harbor survivor, told me, “If I had to send one of my sailors to mast, I felt that was a failure of leadership.”

But once a sailor is written up, he must go to Mast.

Here’s what happens.

The division officer investigates the legitimacy of the offense.  Now, usually, this isn’t difficult.  About 90% of UCMJ violations are for unauthorized absence.  The proof, according to the Manual for Courts Martial, is that the sailor was at his appointed place of duty at the appointed time or not.  The division officer only has to check the deck  log.  All the rest is evidence in mitigation and extenuation.  The division officer talks with the leading petty officer, and they come up with a recommendation for punishment, based on the sailor’s record and reputation.  At least, that’s what I did as a division officer.  The department head passes on the recommendation to the executive officer without comment, figuring the leading petty officer and division officer know the sailor better than he does, and besides he’s busy with other stuff.  At least, that’s what I did as a department head.

(Continued on Page 4)

 

 

Did you know that the motto once was, "We sharpen up the fleet?"

Everything you ever wanted to know about Captain’s Mast.

I’ve been maybe to 100 Captain’s Masts, as a division officer, department head, executive officer twice and commanding officer.  Maybe you’ve been to one or two yourself.  (Oh, no!  Only the good guys form a ship’s alumni association.)

There are various measures that can be taken short of going to Captain’s Mast, most illegal but prevalent.  If you’re old enough you may remember liberty cards.  By issuing a liberty card, a leading petty officer certified that a sailor had done his duty for the day and had no unresolved issues.  In effect, the leading petty officer was saying to the officer-of-the-deck, “This sailor is eligible for liberty in all regards.”  But a common practice was to withhold a liberty card as punishment, not legal because only the commanding officer can punish.   Liberty cards were done away with 40 years ago or so.  But I’m sure the practice still exists.  A salty old chief tells a sailor, “Lad, you really screwed up, but rather than write you up, I’m going to give you the option of voluntarily staying aboard a couple of days.”

Though illegal, officers not only tolerated the informal practice of enlisted men disciplining themselves, but appreciated it.  If administered fairly, discipline was maintained without a lot of paperwork.

   

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