Secretary of the Navy

Secretary of the Navy is a senior civilian official in the United States Department of Defense who leads the United States Department of the Navy. Appointed by the President of the United States with confirmation by the United States Senate, this position is responsible for the administration and civilian oversight of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. The office was established by an Act of Congress in 1798, with its first holder being Benjamin Stoddert during the presidency of John Adams.

History and establishment

The position was created by the Naval Act of 1798 during the Quasi-War with France, separating naval affairs from the United States Department of War. Key early secretaries like Robert Smith and Paul Hamilton oversaw the service's expansion during the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. Throughout the 19th century, figures such as Gideon Welles guided the Union Navy through the American Civil War, while William H. Hunt and William E. Chandler modernized the fleet in the post-Reconstruction era. The office's status changed significantly with the National Security Act of 1947, which placed it under the newly created United States Secretary of Defense.

Roles and responsibilities

The incumbent oversees all affairs of the United States Department of the Navy, including recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping, training, and mobilizing forces. This includes direct supervision of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, as well as the United States Naval Academy and the Office of Naval Research. Key duties involve implementing the policies of the President of the United States and the United States Secretary of Defense, preparing and justifying the Navy budget to Congress, and acquiring ships, aircraft, and weapons systems. The secretary also maintains relationships with allied navies, such as the Royal Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Appointment and succession

The secretary is nominated by the President of the United States and must be confirmed by a majority vote in the United States Senate. By law, the appointee must be a civilian who has been separated from active military service for at least seven years, a provision waived for recent holders like John H. Dalton and Jim Webb. In the United States presidential line of succession, the position ranks seventh, following the United States Secretary of Homeland Security. If the office becomes vacant, the Under Secretary of the Navy typically performs the duties until a new secretary is confirmed, as occurred after the resignation of John F. Lehman during the Iran–Contra affair.

List of secretaries

From its inception, 78 individuals have held the post, serving under 46 different presidents. Notable secretaries include Theodore Roosevelt who served under William McKinley and later championed the Great White Fleet, Frank Knox who led the Navy through much of World War II, and James Forrestal, the last to hold the cabinet-level role before the 1947 reorganization. In the modern era, influential figures include John Warner, who later served as a Senator from Virginia, and Richard Danzig who served under President Bill Clinton. The first female secretary was Susan Livingstone, who served as Acting Secretary in 2003.

Relationship to other military offices

The secretary reports directly to the United States Secretary of Defense and is a member of the Deputies Committee of the National Security Council. Within the United States Department of the Navy, the secretary's principal military advisers are the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps, who are members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The position works alongside, but does not command, the United States Secretary of the Air Force and the United States Secretary of the Army. The office also interacts closely with congressional committees like the United States House Committee on Armed Services and the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services. Category:United States Department of the Navy Category:United States Secretaries of the Navy Category:1798 establishments in the United States