A complaint about a badly run activity should pass through the people responsible for correcting it. The admiral addresses the captain, who passes the criticism to the executive officer. The department or division officer then directs the senior NCO, who deals with the responsible ratings. Each level remains accountable for the people under its authority. Bypassing those relationships interferes with the command structure on which the ship depends.
Notable Point · 1:56:41-1:57:35
Why the chain of command must not be bypassed
An example of criticism moving down a ship's hierarchy explains why senior officers should work through the established chain of command.