What is the difference between an Unrestricted Line officer and a Restricted Line officer in the Navy? What is an officer of the Line anyway?

2018-03-12T22:57:56-04:00

I'm posting this question to educate the interwebs. Navy types will of course know.

Response by SCPO Morris Ramsey made Mar 12 at 2018 11:04 PM

2018-03-12T23:04:42-04:00

SN Greg Wright Short Answer, unrestricted line officers can serve as Commanding Officer of warships ships.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Mar 12 at 2018 11:07 PM

2018-03-12T23:07:39-04:00

Unrestricted can command and restricted cannot, SN Greg Wright.

Response by LT Brad McInnis made Mar 12 at 2018 11:46 PM

2018-03-12T23:46:06-04:00

Unrestricted=no restrictions to commanding a ship. Officer of the line (for all services) are the operational (front line) officers, and not the restricted or support officers. That was what I was taught a few years ago....

Response by MSG John Duchesneau made Mar 13 at 2018 1:53 AM

2018-03-13T01:53:27-04:00

Unrestricted line officers are in a career track where they can potentially command a ship some day. Restricted line officers are rare but they are "stuck" in their specialties. (For example, my father was a unrestricted line officer who's specialty was underwater ordnance.) Other officers are in particular specialties such as JAGs, doctors, nurses, civil engineers, chaplains etc. As they are highly specialized, they can only do one particular job.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Mar 13 at 2018 8:14 AM

2018-03-13T08:14:09-04:00

OK, where does an LDO fit into this mix?

Response by PO1 Don Gulizia made Mar 13 at 2018 9:20 AM

2018-03-13T09:20:54-04:00

I feel there is a joke in here somewhere....an Unrestricted Line officer and a Restricted Line officer walk into a bar...

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2018 9:52 AM

2018-03-13T09:52:15-04:00

An unrestricted line officer (in the most general and concise sense) is one whose designator (community identification code) places them in line for command of a warfare asset. For example, ships, ashore, squadrons, etc. Restricted line officers are still officers due proper respect and courtesy, but (again, generally) not in line for command (of warfare assets...I believe they can hold "command" of non-warfare units). There's a third distinction, Restricted Line-Special Duty, generally LDOs.

I'm probably leaving out lots of details that our LDO, RL members can elaborate upon, but I think the best examples of RL would be JAG, Medical, HR, etc while LDOs are usually "Subject Matter Experts" in fields like maintenance and logistics.

The visible difference is the use of a "star" (line officer) or the community emblem (RL/LDO) on the SDB uniform, immediately above the sleeve rank.

As I recall, the term "officer of the line" is a hold-over from when ships fought in "the line" formation. Capital ships were known as "Ships of the Line", so the direct inference to being able to command one.

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Mar 13 at 2018 11:17 AM

2018-03-13T11:17:13-04:00

I am in the Air Force, so I have no clue. But I appreciate the question. I am learning something new this morning.

Response by LCDR Scott Stroman made Mar 13 at 2018 3:31 PM

2018-03-13T15:31:31-04:00

An "officer of the line" is a shortened way to express the old designation "an officer of the line of battle, eligible for command at sea". That applies to Unrestricted Line Officers. URL's assigned to a ship are technically eligible to succeed to command under the concept that if the senior officer is killed, the next senior officer takes command. This theoretically carries on to the last junior ensign on board. The seniority is determined by rank and then by "lineal number" within each rank. A Restricted Line Officer also has authority based on rank and lineal number, but only within that officers professional specialty. They are not eligible to command a vessel. Where this gets interesting is where you have an URL ensign assigned as a boat officer and a RL officer of significant seniority as a passenger. The ensign will be "in command" of the boat but had best exercise his/her authority discreetly.

Response by PO2 Rev. Frederick C. Mullis, AFI, CFM made Mar 13 at 2018 4:50 PM

2018-03-13T16:50:42-04:00

OK I'm gonna throw a Wrench into the Gears here, From what I have read,, everything sounds like what I was taught Eon's ago but things have changed. When I was in, The bandmaster The Officer oin charge of the US Navy Band had the Musician Lyre above his stripes. last year I went to see the navy Band and found this has changed that Bandmasters now sport the Line Officer Star no longer the Lyre. I would guess as I never Assume, that they are Restricted Line Officers. Limited Shore Command capabilities??

Response by CPO Kevin Geegan made Mar 15 at 2018 9:29 PM

2018-03-15T21:29:55-04:00

A line officers specialise in one specific Field like dental ,Jag medical etc and unrestricted is ship aboard officers

Response by PO2 Mark Mangus made Apr 16 at 2022 2:22 PM

2022-04-16T14:22:55-04:00

From MYNavyHR

Restricted_line_officer
A restricted line officer is a designator given to a United States Navy and Navy Reserve line officer who is not eligible for Command at Sea. There are many different types and communities, including Engineering Duty Officers, Aerospace Engineering Duty Officers, Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officers, Naval Intelligence Officers, Cryptologic Warfare Officers, Information Operations Officers, Foreign Area Officers, Public Affairs Officers, Naval Oceanographers, Information Professionals, and Human Resources.

Limited Duty Officer & Chief Warrant Officer Programs
Limited Duty Officer and Chief Warrant Officer are two separate programs that provide the Navy with officer technical managers
and technical specialists who exercise leadership in key positions throughout the service. Combined, these two communities
make up more than 11 percent of the officer corps. Both programs provide the opportunity for outstanding senior enlisted
personnel to compete for a commission. Currently, a college degree is not required to apply however, a more educated force and
a recognition of the professional benefits of education will certainly make a college degree required for future promotion.

Limited Duty Officers (LDOs)
As officer technical managers of the line or staff corps, LDOs progressively advance within broad technical fields related to
their former enlisted ratings. They fill leadership and management positions at the Ensign through Captain level that require
technical background and skills not attainable through normal development within other officer designators. LDOs serve as, but
are not limited to serving as, division officers, department heads, OICs, XOs and COs.

Chief Warrant Officers (CWOs)
Today, as commissioned officers of the line or staff corps, Navy CWOs possess the authority and are qualified by extensive
experience and knowledge to direct the most difficult and exacting operations within a given occupational specialty. Although
intended primarily as technical specialists, CWOs may also serve as division officers, department heads, and OICs.