Qualifying for promotion

If they really adhered to those requirements, the Navy would be overloaded with Ensigns now. I don't recall ever seeing any Ensign other than the new Engineering officer and maybe the XO in the engine rooms except in passing through. Also, he would have lost an arm to the Bosons should he attempt to operate their lifts, or winches. He would have lost another arm to the Gunners mates should he attempt to disassemble a gun in one of their gun mounts. I expect they were very good watchers and could learn the general procedures of all those areas, but to operate them ... I don't think so. Now with all the specialized rates and the electronic age, it would be a waste of time to even attempt to explain some of the equipment that some sailors now go 2 years or more to schools to learn.