The term "seaman '' is also a general - purpose for a man or a woman who works anywhere on board a modern ship, including in the engine spaces, which is the very opposite of sailing. This is untrue in the US Navy where a sailor might be a seaman but not all US Navy sailors are a ' Seaman ' as they might be an Airman, Fireman, Constructionman, or Hospital Corpsman. Furthermore, "seaman '' is a short form for the status of an "able - bodied seaman, '' either in the navies or in the merchant marines. An able - bodied seaman is one who is fully trained and qualified to work on the decks and superstructure of modern ships, even during foul weather, whereas less - qualified sailors are restricted to remaining within the ship during times of foul weather -- lest they be swept overboard by the stormy seas or by the high winds.
what is the work of seaman in navy
fully trained and qualified to work on the decks and superstructure of modern ships, even during foul weather