On  smaller  ships,  most  administrative  and personnel functions are likely to be performed out of a  single  office.  On  larger  ships,  such  as  aircraft carriers, these duties may be carried out in several different  spaces.  For  example,  a  large  aircraft  carrier may  have  a  separate  personnel  office,  an  educational services office, an administrative office, and a legal office.  As  stated  earlier,  the  size  and  composition  of  a personnel  office  will  vary  from  one  command  to another and also from ship to ship. Whether you are assigned to a personnel office afloat or ashore, you will have specific responsibilities for the appearance and efficiency of your office. In the following  paragraphs,  we  will  examine  these responsibilities. OFFICE APPEARANCE AND ARRANGEMENT The  amount  of  control  you  will  have  over  the physical conditions in your office will vary with the location and the type of duty to which you are assigned. Aboard  ship  and  ashore,  conditions  outside  your  con- trol may determine the kind of office and equipment you  will  have.  However,  regardless  of  the  conditions, you will be expected to take your share of the respon- sibility for the general appearance and neatness of your office. We will discuss more about the appearance of your office in the next paragraph and in the section pertaining to customer service. We want to point out your  responsibilities  for  your  office  and  how  you should  perform  these  duties  as  a  routine  part  of  your job-and not wait to be asked by your supervisor or other  senior  petty  officers  to  perform  them.  Take  the initiative yourself and carry out these duties! NEATNESS AND CLEANLINESS The general appearance of an office can be greatly affected by a simple practice such as putting things away  from  day  to  day.  It  will  be  one  of  your responsibilities  to  see  that  articles  used  during  the  day are put back where they belong. In securing your ship’s personnel  office  for  the  night,  you  should  properly secure  and  store  all  gear  and  supplies  to  prevent damage to equipment or injuries to personnel from flying  objects  if  your  ship  should  encounter  heavy weather.  If  you  are  serving  ashore,  it  is  no different—you should still put away articles and clean up your work area before you secure for the day. Whether your office is ashore or afloat, you should go through your correspondence basket daily to see that work does not pile up. When you handle classified documents, be especially careful. After using classi- fied  documents,  make  sure  you  store  them  according to the guidelines set forth in the  Department of the Navy  Information  and  Personnel  Security  Program Regulation, OPNAVINST 5510.1. Make sure all supplies such as ink and correction fluid that may stain other materials are put away prop- erly. Do not leave any equipment on the deck that might be damaged when the office is cleaned. Avoid accumulations of loose papers or other objects that may  create  a  fire  hazard.  Desks  should  be  dusted frequently. Do not allow dirt to build up until field day. In putting away things others have been using or in  dusting  someone  else’s  desk,  use  care  and  good judgment so that you do not lose or misplace anything. Do not disturb the arrangements they have made of their  papers. ARRANGING YOUR DESK Your  own  desk  is  one  item  for  which  you  are always responsible. Arrange it in a manner that is neat and  organized.  Set  the  example  for  those  individuals who are less organized than yourself. The following suggested plan is suitable if you spend  most  of  your  time  typing  letters  or  other correspondence and forms. Your work may require that you provide space for other types of supplies, but the general principle will still be applicable. l  Keep  pencils,  erasers,  paper  clips,  and  other small articles in shallow drawers or trays. l Insert slanted stationery trays in one of the upper drawers. Use a separate tray for each type of stationery or  form.  Place  the  most  frequently  used  stationery  or forms at the front, with the additional trays similarly containing forms according to frequency of usage. . Keep carbon paper in its box to keep it from curling or from soiling the stationery. l  If  you  keep  any  personal  belongings  such  as clothes in your desk, place them in a separate drawer or in a location away from public view. . At the end of the day, clear everything possible from the top of your desk. You should straighten any articles that remain on top of your desk and close all drawers. Make sure all classified or sensitive material is properly  stored. 1-4