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I have tough time fitting the Super CAG concept into the ancient Navy tradition of the Captain being the absolute master of the ship. I guess modern times require modern thinking. The 21st Century Navy have Super CAGs on the bridge and female Ordinancemen on the decks.

Do today's Junior Naval Aviation Officers take OOD or JOD duties on the ship's bridge? It would seem like those choosing the CO track rather than the CAG track would need to start to learn ship handling well before the Squadron Command level.

(Thank you for answering my questions. As you can tell, I have a lot of curiosity about the modern Navy. I suppose I should restart my subscription to "Proceedings.")

The CO is still boss of the ship. I suppose the Cargru or Crudesgru could take command under certain circumstances, but otherwise they steer clear and let the CO do his business. CAG has little to say to the CO about how the ship is run.

CAG and the airwing are a tenant command on the carrier, not totally different than the relationship that functional wings have with the CO of naval air stations. The CO at sea has more control than the landbased CO, but the relations between parties are similar.

CAG doesn't go on the bridge unless he wants to talk to the CO. More often he's found back in the Air Boss's tower or down in CATCC for the night arrestments - that is, unless he's flying twice a day like most of them... He doesn't stand watch, per se, although currently most Cargru / Crudesgru will give CAG the Alpha Sierra hat and make him responsible for the surface picture for the battle group. Airwing personnel stand AS for CAG using carrier OS's for technical support.

JO's don't go to the bridge either (unless they've made a major faux pas and get to meet the CO...)There's no need to worry about quals until you've screened for squadron command. Once you're XO of a fleet squadron, you'll do a CDO underway qual on the bridge - mostly consisting of conning while along side during an UNREP. Officers aren't tracked until following their squadron CO tour: some are picked for Nuc - carrier CO track; others opt for the CAG track.

The Nuc CO track is grueling. After command you have nuc school (with all the kids just out of engineering courses at college), carrier XO, CO of a deep draft (supply ship), and finally CO of the carrier. 8-9 years of sea duty straight to command the carrier. I suppose it's worth it, but those years are often the heart of the envelope for kids at home. It's bad enough not seeing your kids when they're 5-6 years old, but would be really tough when they're 15-16.