SERT   authority   should   be   in   the   area   of organization,  as  well  as  in  material  and  personnel readiness. So all personnel can quickly understand combat system  availability  during  condition  I,  condition  HI,  and in port, the SERT should establish the following lines of communication: 1. During Condition I (general quarters), the STO should be assigned a general quarters station in the combat information center (CIC). He should be  able  to  inform  the  tactical  control  officer (TCO)  of  the  present  and  changing  status  of combat  system  availability  (on  a  threat  basis). The  rest  of  the  SERT  should  be  assigned  as roving evaluators for subsystems with which they are most familiar. If possible, the roving evaluators’ duties should be rotated so SERT members become familiar with all areas without affecting the overall operation of the combat system. 2.  During  Condition   III,   at  least  one  SERT member should be on watch in the CIC, with the responsibility  of  reporting  combat  system  status to the TAO. The rest of the SERT should do their regular   duties   of   testing,   instructing,   and evaluating  maintenance  activities. 3. In port, at least one SERT member should be assigned to each duty section so the command duty officer will know the actual system status at all times. The knowledge SERT personnel have  must  not  be  confined  to  a  particular subsystem  if  the  organization  is  to  function properly during condition III and in port. SERT  Responsibilities Responsibilities  of  the  SERT  are  broadly  defined  as maintenance  management, readiness  assessment, and operational   training   guidance  required  to  ensure high-level   combat   system   readiness.   Specific responsibilities  of  SERT  include: Integrating  and  managing  PMS  for  the  combat system Determining  mission-related  materiel  readiness Managing  the  corrective  maintenance  effort  for the combat system including fault isolation, and data collection and analysis Monitoring   operational   performance   during condition  watch  exercises  and  ship  or  fleet operational  exercises Evaluating  both  materiel  and  operational readiness of the combat system, and providing internal or external reports as necessary PMS Management PMS management, one of the major functions of the SERT,  includes  supervision  of  actual  maintenance actions and all other efforts required to plan and support maintenance  events.  Therefore,  the  management  task involves  controlling  all  combat  system  PMS  activities, including   PMS   tasks   for   the   combat   system, subsystems, and equipment. The SERT provides the foundation for maintenance through proper planning and  execution. Certain PMS procedures at the combat system level are more oriented toward operator proficiency, with summary  observation  of  combat  system  performance. The management guidance in the PMS manual and the Cycle   and   Quarterly   Schedules   are   primarily equipment- and department-oriented. This guidance provides  minimum  maintenance  requirements  for  the subsystems and equipment covered under PMS. The SERT  must  manage  within  such  factors  as  the interdependence  of  equipment  and  subsystems  within the  combat  system,  the  variations  of  available manpower,   and   the   dedication   of   subsystems   to operations  during  conditions  I  and  III. The   scheduling   and   performance   of   PMS (supported  by  documentation  and  maintenance  training) leads  to  fault  detection,  which  provides  a  basis  for readiness    assessment.   Maintenance   management ensures that detected faults are isolated and followed by corrective  action.  Effective  corrective  maintenance includes  logistic  control  and  the  determination  of  how important each corrective maintenance requirement is, based  on  parts  availability  and  readiness  assessment. Follow-up action, including verification or retesting, and  complete  shipboard  and  maintenance  data collection reporting for the subsystems close the loop. MATERIEL READINESS ASSESSMENT Materiel  readiness  assessment  involves  performing tests  and  operational  checks  on  the  system  to  identify equipment  that  is  either  degraded  or  nonoperational. The results of the tests and operational checks are then used to determine how well the system can perform its 4-14