CHAPTER 2
RECORD SYSTEMS
When you have read and understood this chapter, you should be able to answer
the following learning objectives.
Identify and explain the purpose of engineering
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department legal records.
Identify and explain the purpose of engineering
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department operating records.
Explain the purpose of the engineering
department’s fuel and water accounts.
Explain the use of 3-M systems in the
engineering department.
Accurate, legible, and up-to-date engineering
records plus timely, accurate, and legible reports reflect
efficient administration. Records maintained by the
engineering department and reports submitted to the
engineering officer provide the data for engineering
reports to higher authority. The engineer officer uses
reliable records and reports to keep up with the state of
material and performance in the department.
The type commander is coordinator of administra-
tive matters for ships assigned. He issues the necessary
directives to regulate administrative records and reports
required of ships within the command. The directives
generally include a list of the records and recurring
reports required by other commands and agencies of the
Navy according to OPNAVINST 5214.2B. With this
information, the commanding officer can establish a
system to maintain current and accurate records and to
forward reports in a correct and timely fashion.
Instructions for the disposal of shipboard records are
published in part III of Disposal of Navy and Marine
Corps Records, SECNAVINST P5212.5C.
The engineer officer must be familiar with the en-
gineering records and reports system. He should keep
record reference files containing complete information
on the methods used to maintain required records. The
engineer officer also should keep a report tickler file.
He should separate record reference files alphabetically,
and file record reference cards alphabetically by
subject. He should arrange report tickler file cards in
order of the occurrence of the report; daily, weekly,
monthly, and so forth. The engineer officer can use
Recurring Reports Records form, NAVEXOS 4179, for
both files.
There is no simple way to assure the accuracy of
records and reports. The first step is to establish the
responsibility for keeping the records and preparing the
reports within the department. The next step is to assign
the duty of checking and verifying the data contained in
the report. The engineering department and division
organization manuals provide excellent means of fixing
departmental record-keeping responsibilities. The
department training program should train personnel to
obtain data and maintain records.
Some engineering records are mandatory (required
by law) while others are necessary for efficient opera-
tion of the engineering plant. This chapter covers the
records and reports that are basic to a well-administered
engineering department of any large ship.
The standard forms used as illustrations in this
publication were prepared by the various technical
commands and the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO).
The forms are for issue to forces afloat. The Navy Stock
List of Publications and Forms, NAVSUP 2002, shows
how to order them. The forms are revised as needed, so
be sure you order current forms. Sometimes locally
prepared forms are needed for local use, make certain
that an existing standard form will not serve the purpose
before you order them.
The engineer officer will prepare the ship’s
operational reports that deal principally with
engineering matters. He should refer to directives of
appropriate fleet and other operational commanders for
requirement frequency, format, and timely submission
of specific operational reports.
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