I use SH3 Cmdr, and have named all my Officers and Petty Officers, but also have assigned entire crew, even Seamen, Qualifications. All Officers have 3 Qualifications, some Petty Officers have 2, and I assigned 1 qualification to all Seamen. This ensures better chance for promotion, like you said, experience is the key.
As far as the names go, I think it's just for fun, but you get attatched to some of them. I haven't named one Bernard yet, almost affraid too
