Captain's Mast is the proceeding used to impose NJP and is conducted by which authority?

• A. Civilian court decision
• B. The Chief of Naval Operations
• C. The commanding officer
• D. A board of inquiry

Answer: (C)

Captain's Mast is the Navy’s unit-level process for imposing non-judicial punishment, used to address minor offenses without a court-martial. The authority to convene and impose NJP rests with the commanding officer of the unit, or with an officer designated by the CO to handle NJP. This keeps disciplinary action within the chain of command and provides a faster, less formal remedy than a formal court-martial. Civilian courts do not conduct Captain's Mast, and a board of inquiry is used for more serious investigations, not for addressing routine NJP. The Chief of Naval Operations sets policy at the highest level, not individual Mast proceedings.