Be selected for CO through performance primarily over your XO sea tour. Once selected, attend the submarine command course and the naval reactors technical school. One technical interview based on the reactor type of the ship you will command and one scenario based interview. During SCC, there are written exams and you are constantly evaluated in simulators and during an at-sea portion.

The first process involves a board where your record is screened based on prerequisites of experience, time and performance. Once selected at a board, the prospective Commanding Officer will attend a number of training schools over a course of 6 to 9 months. There are periodic written and oral examinations of the course of the training pipeline. Performance is monitored and evaluated periodically over the course of the tour of duty.