I'm betting pretty much all the money in the world that the Admiral she originally served under was killed (I would bet further money the seemingly phantom blood/wound seen here likely having been a real wound sustained at the same time) sending her off the deep and now what's she 'hearing' is merely what she thinks he would be saying. It could even be bordering on split personality with "the admiral" being a voice in her head she doesn't consider her own and thus projects onto the dummy. Depending on how long she was active with him her 'delusions' might not even be wrong meaning that in an insane way she could actually be competent explaining perhaps why she seems to have become the leader.
This is starting to remind me more and more of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei and the collective hive mind that was Kafka Fuura
Admiral?Hmm... Maybe it's better to reconsider the group's formation a little...Let's wake up Kiso.Yes... Because of that, the waters around their patrol route will be relatively safe for today.This will be Michishio's first sortie since she came here.Even a small enemy ship wouldn't appear in that area so they will surely be....Kongou?Let's see.... the group's formation include Inazuma, Satsuki, and Michishio...