[Sailor Steve]

I can't speak to the promotions, but awards in my opinion are more realistic. The game only allows one qualification per patrol, and in real life there is no such thing as an unqualified petty officer. It's what makes him a PO in the first place. For me a new career starts with a shakedown run, usually to the end of the harbor and back. After that first "patrol" I then qualify all my POs before starting the first real patrol.

Medals? I never give one out unless a crewman does something truly extraordinary. In fact Commander's random assignment sometimes gives me crew who already have medals - in 1939! I use it to remove those.