Naval Information

Pertinent thoughts:

- The commanding officer of a naval vessel cannot be overridden, even by officers higher in rank (such as Admirals), in matters of directing the ship's operations.

- Captains with sea commands generally command ships of cruiser size or larger, while Naval Aviator and Naval Flight Officer Captains in the U.S. Navy command aircraft carriers, large-deck amphibious assault ships, carrier air wings, maritime patrol air wings and functional and specialized air wings and air groups. The more senior the officer, the larger the ship, but ship commanders do not normally hold a higher rank than captain.

- Rear Admirals will normally embark on large capital ships such as aircraft carriers, which will function as the flagship for their strike group or battle group, but a captain will retain command of the actual ship. Even when a senior officer who is in the ship's captain's chain of command is present, all orders are given through the captain as a courtesy. Many captains hold shore commands and staff positions afloat and ashore.

- An officer in the rank of commander who commands a vessel may also be referred to as "captain" as a courtesy title, or informally referred to as "skipper".

- Lieutenants were commonly put in command of smaller vessels not warranting a Commander or Captain: such a Lieutenant was called a "Lieutenant Commanding" or "Lieutenant Commandant" in the United States Navy

- A lieutenant commander can control a destroyer class ship


interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zumwalt_class_destroyer

http://www.militaryfactory.com/military_pay_scale.asp
http://www.military-quotes.com/ranks/navy-rank-insignia.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_destroyer_classes_of_the_United_States_Navy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Naval_Academy_alumni
Jacob would make 120,000 a year as a rear admiral.
What if Jacob was the younger brother?

Destroyer class ship:
Displacement: 9,200 tons (9,350 t)
Length: 509.5 ft (155.3 m)
Beam: 66 ft (20 m)
Draft: 31 ft (9.4 m)
Propulsion: 4 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, 2 shafts, 100,000 shp (75 MW)
Speed: 30+ knots (56+ km/h)
Complement: 32 officers, 348 enlisted