Who appoints Class A and B mishap boards?

• A. Unit level
• B. Commandant
• C. Navy Inspector General
• D. Local Commanding Officer

Answer: (A)

The unit’s commanding officer at the site of the mishap is the one who appoints the Class A and B mishap investigation board. This ensures the board is formed quickly within the unit’s chain of command and can conduct a thorough, independent review focused on the specific incident. The CO selects senior officers to serve on the board and designates the chair, aligning the investigation with the unit’s environment and procedures and facilitating timely corrective actions.

Higher-level figures, such as a commandant or the Navy Inspector General, do not appoint these unit-level mishap boards; they oversee broader policy and oversight rather than the setup of individual investigation teams. The term “local commanding officer” is less precise here than the unit-level CO, whose authority directly corresponds to the unit where the mishap occurred.