Commander, Naval Air Forces Instruction (AIRFORINST 4440.2E) Practice Test

The key idea is accountability in the ship’s chain of command. The Supply Officer runs the Supply Department and is ultimately responsible for the ship’s material readiness and provisioning, reporting to the ship’s top authority who has final responsibility for all departments and the mission. The Executive Officer oversees daily operations and coordination among departments, but ultimate accountability rests with the Commanding Officer. The Assistant Supply Officer is a junior supervisor within the department, and “Ship’s Captain” is just another way to refer to the Commanding Officer. So the Supply Officer is accountable to the Commanding Officer.