Who is the custodian of all keys to spaces containing ammo and explosives?

• A. BM
• B. XO
• C. CO
• D. OIC

Answer: (C)

The person in charge is the commanding officer. In Navy practice, the CO holds ultimate responsibility for the ship’s safety and security, including all spaces that contain ammunition and explosives. This means the CO is entrusted with the master custody of all keys or access control for those spaces, and only authorized personnel can be granted entry through the CO’s authorization and key control system. The executive officer handles day-to-day safety and operation oversight but does not serve as the primary custodian of ordnance keys. The officer in charge oversees a specific unit, not the overarching key control for ammo spaces. A boatswain’s mate handles deck and shiphandling tasks, not the security of ammo magazines. So the commanding officer is the best answer because of the ultimate accountability and authority over access to dangerous ordnance spaces.