United States Secretary of the Navy

United States Secretary of the Navy is the civilian head of the United States Department of the Navy, a military department within the United States Department of Defense. The secretary is appointed by the President of the United States with the confirmation of the United States Senate and reports directly to the United States Secretary of Defense. This position is responsible for the recruitment, organization, supply, equipment, training, and mobilization of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.

History and establishment

The position was established by the Congress of the United States with the Naval Act of 1794 and formally created by the Naval Act of 1798, which founded the United States Department of the Navy as a separate cabinet-level agency. The first secretary, Benjamin Stoddert, took office in 1798 and quickly built a formidable force during the Quasi-War with France. For nearly 150 years, the secretary served as a principal member of the United States Cabinet, advising presidents from John Adams through Harry S. Truman on naval affairs during conflicts like the War of 1812, the American Civil War, and World War II. The department's independent status ended with the National Security Act of 1947, which placed it under the newly created United States Department of Defense.

Duties and responsibilities

The secretary has statutory responsibility for all affairs of the United States Department of the Navy, including the construction and maintenance of vessels, management of shipyards and academies, and implementation of policies from the Secretary of Defense and the President of the United States. Key duties involve overseeing the United States Navy's global operations and the expeditionary forces of the United States Marine Corps, managing a budget that funds programs like the Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, and ensuring compliance with laws such as the Goldwater–Nichols Act. The secretary also serves on the United States National Security Council when marine or naval matters are discussed.

Appointment and succession

Appointment follows a nomination by the President of the United States, which must be confirmed by a majority vote in the United States Senate's Armed Services Committee. There is no fixed term, and the secretary serves at the pleasure of the president, as seen in the tenures of figures like John H. Dalton under Bill Clinton and Donald C. Winter under George W. Bush. In the United States presidential line of succession, the secretary is seventh, following the United States Secretary of Homeland Security. If the office becomes vacant, the United States Under Secretary of the Navy typically performs the duties until a successor is confirmed.

List of Secretaries of the Navy

Since Benjamin Stoddert, over 70 individuals have held the office, including notable figures such as Theodore Roosevelt, who served under William McKinley before becoming president, and Frank Knox, who led the department during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The list includes secretaries from pivotal eras like the Civil War, such as Gideon Welles, and modern leaders like John F. Lehman during the Reagan Administration's naval buildup. The current secretary, Carlos Del Toro, was sworn in on August 9, 2021, after a career as a United States Navy officer and entrepreneur.

Office and staff organization

The secretary's principal office is located in the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, supported by immediate staff including the Executive Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and the Office of the General Counsel of the Navy. The secretary is directly assisted by several key officials: the United States Under Secretary of the Navy (the chief operating officer), the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller), and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition). This staff structure helps manage the department's vast bureaucracy, which includes the United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa and installations like Naval Station Norfolk.

Relationship to other military departments

While the secretary leads the United States Department of the Navy, the position is subordinate to the United States Secretary of Defense, who oversees the entire United States Department of Defense. The secretary coordinates closely with the United States Secretary of the Army and the United States Secretary of the Air Force on joint matters, as mandated by the Goldwater–Nichols Act, and works with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on operational issues. This relationship ensures integration of naval forces with other services, such as the United States Army and United States Space Command, for unified combatant commands like United States Indo-Pacific Command.