Racial segregation and separate ranks for Black stewards formed part of the US Navy's wartime steward system. That legacy complicates arguments about retaining personal support roles. The operational case for a steward depends on the work saved for a captain or executive officer: meals and routine needs can be handled while the officer concentrates on command. Treating the role simply as a perk overlooks that use of time.
Notable Point · 2:25:06-2:26:28
The US steward system carried both an operational purpose and a segregation legacy
The American steward system's segregation legacy accompanies a separate question about how personal support affects command efficiency.