COMBAT DIRECTION CENTER

INTELLIGENCE FUNCTIONS

AIR OPERATIONS

ELECTRONIC MATERIALS OFFICE

OE DIVISION

NAVAGATION DEPARTMENT

DECK DEPARTMENT

SUPPLY DEPARTMENT

SHIPS MAGAZINES

WEAPONS DEPARTMENT

TRAINING DEPARTMENT

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Executive Officer

The XO billet is not a command; rather it is considered staff. The XO is typically responsible for the management of day-to-day activities, such as maintenance and logistics, freeing the Battlestars Commander to concentrate on tactical planning and execution. The XO also takes charge in the absence of the CO. While the experience gained as an XO is highly beneficial for an officer's professional development, never serving in the position will not preclude an officer from commanding later. From the XO on down, the ship’s individual functions are handled by the ship’s company via different departments. These departments are in turn divided into divisions, each specialized in an area of the ship’s operation and mission.

THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT

The Operations Department is responsible for collecting, cataloging, analyzing and distributing combat information vital to the accomplishment of the ship’s offensive and defensive missions. Heading this very important department is the ship’s Operations Officer, or "Ops." This individual is one of the busiest persons on the ship. Intelligence, photographic intelligence, local air traffic control, and missile system maintenance are types of services provided by this department. The ship’s intelligence officer and the CVIC spaces fall under this department on a Battlestar.

The Operations Department from ship to ship will vary slightly. Elements of a typical Battlestar Operations Departments include the Combat Direction Center, Air Operations, Intelligence Center, Electronics Material Office, and Strike Operations. Already mentioned in the previous module, the Battlestar Intelligence Center (BIC) is administratively located within the Operations Department. A majority of BIC’s contacts will be with other divisions within Operations and the Air wing. Specific functions within each division of the Operations Department are abbreviated by a two-letter code beginning with "O" for Operations. They are listed below:

The rest of the Departments fall under CIC and report directly to the XO.