Crew accommodation is a form of convergent naval engineering, with different fleets reaching similar requirements over time. Large forty-person messes could produce strong camaraderie, but they no longer define an acceptable standard for many sailors. Modern crews include highly trained specialists who can often take their skills into civilian employment. Patriotism may attract and motivate them, yet a lack of privacy, rest, and comfort during a long deployment can still drive them away. A refit that cannot improve living conditions may therefore undermine the retention of the people needed to operate the ship.
Chapter · 34:21-36:43
Accommodation standards affect specialist retention
Follow the shift from forty-person messes toward smaller living groups and more privacy as navies compete to retain expensively trained specialists.