Stands watch as assistant to the officers of the deck and to the navigator; serves as helmsman during time when precise ship control is required; performs communications, navigation, and bridge watch duties; procures, corrects, uses, and stows navigational charts and publications; maintains navigational instruments and keeps navigational time; participates in ceremonies conducted in accordance with national and foreign observance and customs; sends and receives visual messages; serves as executive petty officer.
Able to perform the duties required for QM2 and QM1; understands the use and time requirements on various files and logs; understands various types of messages; prepares quarterly schedules of preventive maintenance; requisitions equipment; interviews, selects, and evaluates personnel for the navigation department; plans emergency drills; conducts briefings; understands the law of cyclonic storms and storm avoidance measures; understands the limitations of radar and loran aids to navigation; understands the use of radio direction finding (RDF) equipment; organizes and maintains technical library; prepares and submits budget requests; plans and supervises on-the-job training; serves as enlisted technical or specialty expert; plans, organizes, and directs the work of subordinate personnel; plans and administers on-the-job training programs; supervises the preparation of reports; serves as senior enlisted technical or specialty administrator; ensures maximum efficiency of the work force and the equipment; prepares general correspondence concerning fiscal, supply, and administrative matters; assists in the formulation of plans, policies, and budget requirements; may supplement the officer corps in overall supervision and administration of personnel and equipment; may also supervise personnel in other specialty areas.
Able to perform the duties required for QM3; uses Coast Guard publications concerning Nautical Rules of the Road, maneuvering board and relative bearings; selects charts for voyage planning; determines danger angles and danger bearings; determines ship's position by celestial observations; conducts basic weather observations and understands their significance; supervises bridge personnel; inventories installed equipment and spare parts; orders repair parts and tools; adjusts compasses and prepares deviation tables; adjusts and aligns sextants and stadimeters; interprets weather charts; plots probable path and location of storm centers; prepares a great circle track using various methods; maintains the ship's equipment configuration accounting system; prepares weekly schedules of preventive maintenance; supervises preventive maintenance procedures; prepares oceanographic reports such as wave observation log, ship's ice log, adjusted track log, and sounding journal; supervises and trains personnel in navigation, watchstanding, and use and care of navigational charts, tables, and publications.
Inventories, procures, uses and corrects nautical charts and publications; uses basic course plotting instruments, lead line, depth sounder, and compass; identifies aids to navigation; handles plain language radio communications and visual communication; maintains compass record book and weather observation sheet.