Figure 4-1 shows a sample WQS bill for
personnel in the first section of the first division.
The billet number consists of either four numerals
or a letter and three numerals. The first numeral
or letter indicates each person’s division; the
second numeral indicates the watch or duty
section; and the last two numerals indicate each
person’s seniority in the section. For example, in
billet number 1101, the first numeral (1) indicates
the person is in the first division; the second
numeral (1) that the person is in the first section;
and the last two numerals (01) indicate the person
is the most senior person in the section. The
department is not specified here because the first
division is always the deck department. Other
columns allow for entry of the information from
each of the ship’s bills. Titles for the headings in
each column are the same as the bill, as defined
in the Ship’s Organization and Regulations
Manual (SORM). The division officer is
responsible for making sure personnel know what
their duties are. One useful way to accomplish this
is to give each person a pocket WQS bill (fig. 4-2)
listing the person’s duties as shown on the division
WQS bill.
As the ship’s manning changes and as per-
sonnel are reassigned, the division officer has to
continually update the WQS bill. The division
officer must maintain a balance of skills in each
section and arrange each section in order of
seniority from top to bottom. These sections
represent watch sections underway and duty
sections in port, except for all-hands evolutions
like the special sea detail. The WQS bill also has
to be updated when annual leave or illness changes
the composition of the bill. For example, suppose
a Gunner’s Mate (Guns) Seaman (GMGSN) in
your division is sent to school. If the GMGSN is
replaced by a new SA, you will have to give the
Gunner’s Mate’s assignments on the WQS bill to
another experienced person while the SA is in
training. Therefore, the school assignment of the
GMGSN has forced you to make changes to your
divisional bill.
Changes in the watch bill made by the senior
watch officer for the ship require corresponding
changes to the master and divisional WQS bills.
The division notebook is used for transferring
information from the battle bill and ship’s bills
to the WQS bill. The division notebook is divided
to allow one part for each condition of readiness
and each ship’s bill. Stations and duties for which
the division is responsible are entered in each part
of the book. Next to those entries are the names
of the personnel to whom the division officer
assigns each function. In other words, the division
Figure 4-1.—Watch, quarter, and station bill.
4-6
