it occured to me the other day that I have no Idea who commands CB units. So who does? My point is an unrestricted line officer does not do service selection and have the option to select seebees as far as I am aware. Or does he?
The CEC officer sitting next to me at the moment makes the point that you don't "select" Seabees - you select the Civil Engineer Corps (a staff corps, not URL) and then at some point you are assigned to a Seabee unit. The Seabees are part of the CEC, but the CEC consists of more than the Seabees. Are you asking if URL officers command Seabee battalions? If that's your question, then no. Some folks from outside the CEC might be assigned (usually supply, medical), but it's not something a URL officer would do. Answer your question?
Civil Engineering Corps officers command Seabees: http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/34137.pdf http://www.navy.com/careers/officer/engineering/ http://usmilitary.about.com/od/officerjo2/a/ce.htm https://www.seabee.navy.mil/index.cfm/40061/65071
SeaBee Battalions even have a Marine or two assigned (usually Lance Corporal) to help train Seabees in use of firearms and tactics in case they come under fire. The US Naval Construction Force, better known as the Seabees, deploy along with Special Warfare and Marines to forward operating locations and have to be ready to defend themselves. Seabees are organized into battalions/regiments/groups and fall under a division level commander with rank of Rear Admiral, but as mentioned, it is province of CEC.
Nowadays it's a Gunny who is assigned as the Military Advisor. Also the Seabees do things a lot different now than say, Vietnam or WWII. If a Seabee has to use his weapon, it's probably going to be a bad day.
