Article 141.4 requires all personnel to show
in themselves a good example of subordination,
courage, zeal, sobriety, neatness, and attention
to duty. All persons in the naval service shall aid,
to the utmost of their ability and extent of their
authority, in maintaining good order and
discipline as well as other matters concerned with
efficiency of the command. The extent of the
authority given to naval personnel to fulfill their
general duties is set forth in article 1020 of United
States Navy Regulations (Navy Regs). Article 1020
gives all persons in the naval service the right to
exercise authority over all subordinate personnel.
This authority is supported by article 1122, which
charges all persons within the naval service to obey
readily and strictly, and to execute promptly,
lawful orders of their superiors.
Organizational
Organizational authority held by all officers
and petty officers is derived from each persons
assigned billet within a particular command.
Command organizational structure is based on
guidance from the Standard Organization and
Regulations of the U.S. Navy (SORN),
OPNAVINST 3120.32B. The organizational
structure is set forth by the organizational manual
for each command, department, and division. The
organizational structure defines the levels of
organization to which each is subordinate. It also
invests in each level the authority that is necessary
to fulfill assigned duties and responsibilities. The
source of this authority rests in article 1037 of
Navy Regs. Article 1037 grants petty officers at
each level the necessary authority for the
performance of their duties.
LIMITATIONS OF AUTHORITY
Authority includes the right to require actions
of others. Actions of others are directed by oral
or written orders that are subject to general
LIMITATIONS of AUTHORITY. Orders must
be lawful since subordinates are only required to
obey lawful orders (article 1132, Navy Regs).
Orders must not be characterized by harsh or
erratic conduct or abusive language (article 1023,
Navy Regs). Since authority is given only to fulfill
duties and responsibilities, only the authority
necessary to complete the tasks assigned can be
delegated; authority should never be delegated
beyond the lowest level of competence.
Punishment may only be awarded through
the judicial process or nonjudicially through
article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice
(UCMJ). Authority to administer nonjudicial
punishment is carefully reserved by the UCMJ for
certain commanders, commanding officers, and
officers in charge. Petty officers have authority
to take certain measures to correct minor
infractions that do not merit punishment under
article 15. They have authority to correct
subordinates who are deficient in the performance
of their military duties and in the performance
of their work assignments. However, many petty
officers do not understand what measures they
may take to correct their subordinates. As a result
each command differs in the application of these
measures, and petty officers do not always know
the extent of their authority.
As a leading petty officer, you should be
thoroughly familiar with the tools available to you
to correct military deficiencies in your personnel.
You should also know the proper procedures for
applying these corrective measures.
Two of the most common measures used to
correct military duty deficiencies are the
withholding of privileges and extra military
instruction (EMI). Another measure that is
corrective in nature, but is not used to correct a
deficiency, is the extension of working hours.
These three management tools are discussed in the
following paragraphs.
Extra Military Instruction
People often confuse EMI and extra duty.
Extra duty is work assigned that is completely
outside ones normal duties. Extra duty is punitive
in the legal sense and is only awarded as
nonjudicial punishment or as a result of a court-
martial.
EMI is a lesson in a phase of military duty
designed to correct a deficiency of performance.
EMI is nonpunitive in the legal sense and is
sanctioned by the Manual for Courts-Martial
(MCM); however, it may be viewed as
inconvenient or unpleasant. EMI is assigned
informally, usually by the division chief if
authorized by the commanding officer. EMI can
only be given to correct an observed deficiency
logically related to the deficiency. It is a bona fide
training device intended to improve the efficiency
of a command or unit.
EMI within the Navy is assigned, when
required, with the following limitations:
It will not normally be assigned for more
than 2 hours per day.
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