Destroyer command, delegated initiative, and decision speed

In 1943, Burke moved through Destroyer Divisions 43 and 44, then Destroyer Squadrons 12 and 23 in the South Pacific. His standing order let subordinate commanders attack enemy contacts without waiting for task-force permission. Officers remain accountable for mistakes as they rise in rank, which can tempt them to keep every decision to themselves. Requiring all decisions to pass through one commander adds delay and gives the enemy an opening. Burke's hesitation over identifying the enemy at Blackett Strait supplies a concrete example of that concern. His remark that about ten seconds separated a good officer from a poor one refers to the danger of indecision.