A captain's steward can become an informal sounding board because the two spend so much time together, although the executive officer retains the formal role. That access helps explain the steward's high security clearance. Close contact also allows senior officers to recognize candidates for officer training and provide recommendations. In two recalled cases, former stewards reached commander after roughly ten years as commissioned officers, following about ten years in their earlier role. Their progress through the junior officer ranks was unusually rapid.
Notable Point · 2:14:40-2:16:03
Steward service could become a route to a naval commission
Close work with senior officers could reveal a steward's judgment and produce unusually strong recommendations for officer training.