safety record also shows success. Success is the easiest foundation on which to build morale. CHAIN OF COMMAND An  important  yet  often  abused  ingredient  in  a military organization is the chain of command. Your division  should  understand  early  that  the  chain  of command  serves  everyone.  It  provides  a  method  of showing respect to the next senior person in the chain as well as a method of maintaining the integrity of the organization.  There  are  situations,  such  as  emergencies or when the next senior is not available, when bypassing the   chain   is   unavoidable.   However,   intentionally bypassing the chain may cause several detrimental results. Bypassed persons may think or feel the superior does not have confidence in them. That may make them hesitant to act in a similar situation. Instruct and guide your personnel, but never cut them out of the chain of command. Conflicting  commands  and  contradictory  priorities will result in confusion in the ranks. These factors have negative  results  toward  achieving  your  division  goals and eventually your command’s mission. You will find that once you have established where in  the  chain  of  command  decisions  are  made,  your sailors will understand what their objective is. They will respond by using the chain of command as it is intended. DIVISION OFFICER’S DUTIES For this text the term division refers to the basic administrative  personnel  unit.  Personnel  are  organized into  divisions  in  aircraft  squadrons,  aboard  ship,  and  at shore  activities.  The  Standard  Organization  and Regulations of the U.S. Navy (SORN),  OPNAVINST 3120.32B, lists the specific duties of a division officer. The commanding officer assigns the division officer to command a division unit. The division officer reports to  the  department  head  on  assigned  duties.  Your objective  as  a  senior  or  master  chief  assigned  as  a division  officer  is  to  help  fulfill  the  mission  of  the command.  To  fulfill  that  objective,  you  must  use  your leadership and management skills to ensure the goals of your department and your division are met. TRANSLATING  POLICY  INTO REQUIREMENTS Policies are conceived by the senior leadership as a statement  of  what  action  is  to  be  taken  under  a predetermined  set  of  circumstances.  Policies  govern  the affairs of the Navy. Policies state requirements that are not open to interpretation. You must make sure your subordinates obey those requirements. You can translate policies  to  your  division  and  assure  compliance  with  set policies  by  doing  the  following: Knowing   which   policies   are   in   effect   and enforcing  them Setting  an  example Explaining policies to your division in simpler terms at division training sessions or at quarters DIVISION  ADMINISTRATION The division officer is accountable for managing the affairs  of  your  division  to  successfully  accomplish  the mission of your division. You are responsible for all activities   of   your   division,   like   training   and maintenance. You are also responsible for managing the many types of correspondence, reports, and records required  about  your  division’s  performance  and achievements. COMPUTERS If you cringe at the thought of using “the computer,” don’t  be  concerned.  As  computers  become  more common in the workplace, both ashore and afloat, they will absorb a large portion of the administrative files and records you will need to perform your duties. Therefore, you need to know how the following common computer programs can help you: Word processing  –You  can  use  word  processing programs  to  create  and  edit  documents  or  letters.  Some include a spell checker and a thesaurus to help you produce  high-quality  correspondence,  reports,  and  other documents. Message writing  –  Message  writing  programs  can help  you  create  and  edit  standard  Navy  messages including   the   following:   General   Administrative (GENADMIN),  Casualty  Report  (CASREP),  Situation Report (SITREP), and Status of Resources and Training System  (SORTS). Database –With the help of a database, you can create,  search,  manipulate,  and  print  electronic  files. Some documents you might maintain with a database include  schooling  records,  the  division  officer’s notebook, the   recall   bill,   personal   qualification standards  (PQS),  and  training  records. 3-3