Michael is correct in his post. If I may expand upon it...
The confusion you have here is in that there is a difference between RANK and POSITION. Captain is a Rank (O-6). but Captain can also be a position as in captain of a ship. that position can be held by other ranks as well not necessarily the Captain Rank. Attack subs, Destroyers, and such are often commanded by O-5 Commanders. but due to his position, is referred to as captain.
Despite the correctness of his answer, Michael was addressing where you stated: "or be like Bart Mancuso in Hunt for Red October, who everybody referred to as "Captain," when he clearly wore the silver oak leaf of a Commander."
That did not address your actual question where you stated:
But....during the inquiry, Admiral Anderson (Jason Robards) says, "And based in no small part on Capt. Ramsey's recommendations, that Lt. Comdr. Hunter be given his next command at the earliest possible convenience."
The question I have revolves around the word command.
In this instance, command is used to denote a self contained unit with it's own command structure with a commanding officer at the top.
Each ship is a separate command. So too is each base. Each Aircraft Squadron. Each subunit assigned to a base like a medical unit or something like SIMA (Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity). Command can also refer to a higher command that is a grouping of smaller commands and usually headed by an Admiral or a very senior O-6 Captain acting in the capacity of a Commodore. A DESRON or Destroyer Squadron would be an example, the DESRON is a command but so too is each individual destroyer it's own command as well.
A command Ball cap are those blue Baseball style caps you see Navy enlisted wearing. Despite some idiot on another board and thread stating,"They did not appear too commanding to me..." they don't have a thing to do with commanding people or having what is called a "Command presence". They represented the Command to which the Sailor is assigned as a crewman. The Command Ballcap was emblazoned with the Name of the Ship or other Base/facility to which he belonged. The statement in question meant that Hunter was to be assigned to a a Sub and as it's Commanding Officer. As Hunter is a CDR and not a CPT, it would likely be an attack boat, not a boomer. Boomers (SSBN's like Alabama) are commanded by actual Captains, SSN's (like Dallas) are commanded quite often by Commanders. Usually one will have a command or two of SSN's before given an SSBN command. and would be made a Captain in rank by that time.
I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!
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