In Independent Duty Corpsman school we were told, "The only thing they learn in Prospective XO school is the things you do or don't that will get them fired." That's not true of course but the point was to hammer home that XOs are aware of the things that will get them and the CO in trouble. Which as it turns out is just about everything aboard ship the IDC is responsible for.
The best XO I had in 26 years was on my last ship. I never had to stand in line outside his stateroom to tell him something or have him sign something. He knew I may very well have been giving him a courtesy heads-up before going to the captain's cabin. Most of the time that was the case but other times I just had to pass on some routine info. One day I stepped into the P-way to knock on his door and he was in a tiff with the weapons officer. XO said, "Doc whatcha got?" Weps interrupted me to continue his rant and the XO said, "Shut your bleeping mouth."
I snickered which made the weapons officer turn even more red and resumed my conversation and made it run longer than necessary. I called the lieutenant Richard Cranium, under my breath, long before that encounter. The XO was a gem of a man and an outstanding naval officer. Wish I could have served with him again in a future command.
