Military Time The Navy uses the 24-hour system of keeping time. The day starts at midnight. Four numbers are used to indicate the time—the first two digits indicate hours and the last two show the minutes. Midnight is expressed two ways—0000 to indicate the start of the day, and 2400 to indicate the end of the day. Each succeeding hour, starting at midnight, is increased by 100 (0000, 0100, 0200, and so on) until 2400 is reached, then a new day starts. Time is spoken in hundreds. For example, 0100 (1:00 a.m.) is spoken “zero one hundred”; 2000 (8 p.m.) is pronounced “twenty hundred”; 2315 (11:15 p.m.) is spoken “twenty three fifteen.” Converting time on a 12-hour clock to Navy time is an easy matter. The hours from midnight to noon aren’t any problem; from noon to midnight, simply add 12 hours to the time indicated. The ship’s bell may also indicate time. The bell is struck once for each half hour, with a maximum of eight bells. At 0830, for instance, one bell is sounded; at 0900, or two bells; and so on until eight bells are struck at 1200. The use of this system is usually restricted to the hours between reveille and taps. Watch Terms Two methods are used in identifying watches. One method uses a descriptive name that identifies the type of watch—for example, pier sentry. The other method also uses a name, but it identifies the time of the watch. Standard watch times and their names are given in the following listing: The dog watches permit rotation of the watches; otherwise, personnel would stand the same watch every day. (Usually the 1600-2000 watch is dogged only at sea.)  Normally,  Sailors  having  the  midwatch  are permitted to sleep 1 hour past reveille (late sleepers). Often,  particularly  in  foreign  ports  when  extra security precautions are required, the ship’s crew is placed in two sections—port and starboard. In such instances, one of the normal three sections (usually the third) is split between the first and second sections. The resulting first section becomes the starboard section; the second section, the port section. If the crew is divided into four sections, the odd-numbered sections make up the starboard section; the even-numbered ones, the port section. The actual watches, though, conform to the times described. Types Of Watches Hundreds of different types of watches are required throughout the Navy, both under way and in-port. Most of them are of a professional nature; that is, they are peculiar to a specific rating or rating group. In this chapter, you will learn about the watches that are more or less of a security nature and that most Sailors stand at one time or another. Security watches are stood to prevent sabotage, protect property from damage or theft, prevent access to restricted  areas  by  unauthorized  persons,  or  protect personnel.  Security  watches  include  sentry  duty, barracks watches, fire watches, and watches stood under way. WATCH OFFICERS Some key assignments for officers in the watch organization include the command duty officer (CDO), officer of the deck (OOD), junior officer of the deck (JOOD),  and  junior  officer  of  the  watch  (JOOW). (NOTE: Senior petty officers can qualify for some of the officer’s assignments.) Command Duty Officer (CDO) Although an official watch stander, the command duty officer (CDO) may be on duty for a period of several watches. The CDO is eligible for command at 3-4 TIME TYPE OF WATCH 0000 to 0400 Midwatch 0400 to 0800 Morning watch 0800 to 1200 Forenoon watch 1200 to 1600 Afternoon watch 1600 to 1800 First dog watch 1800 to 2000 Second dog watch 2000 to 2400 Evening watch Student Notes :