Secretary of the Navy

Secretary of the Navy
Post	Secretary of the Navy
Department	Department of the Navy
Style	The Honorable
Reports to	Secretary of Defense
Appointer	President of the United States
Formation	1798
First	Benjamin Stoddert

Secretary of the Navy is the civilian head of the Department of the Navy responsible for affairs of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. The office originated during the administration of John Adams and evolved through periods including the War of 1812, the American Civil War, and the Spanish–American War. Over time the position has interacted with institutions such as the United States Department of Defense, the United States Congress, and the White House.

History

The office was established in 1798 during debates in the United States Congress about naval policy following tensions with France known as the Quasi-War. Early secretaries like Benjamin Stoddert shaped policies affecting shipbuilding at yards such as Norfolk Naval Shipyard and engagements like the First Barbary War. During the War of 1812 and antebellum period, secretaries contended with issues linked to figures such as Stephen Decatur and institutions like the United States Naval Academy. The Civil War years involved coordination with presidents Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis-era Confederate counterparts, and later growth during the Gilded Age paralleled the careers of naval reformers including Alfred Thayer Mahan and industrialists like John D. Rockefeller who influenced shipbuilding firms such as Newport News Shipbuilding. The Spanish–American War heightened political attention from leaders including William McKinley and led to expansion policies later formalized in the National Security Act of 1947, which reorganized service secretariats under the new United States Department of Defense. Cold War eras involved interactions with administrations of Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy, and crises such as the Cuban Missile Crisis shaped naval strategy and civil-military relations. Post-Cold War and 21st-century secretaries addressed operational missions related to events like the Gulf War, the Global War on Terrorism, and cooperative efforts with allies in NATO forums such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Roles and Responsibilities

The secretary oversees acquisition programs involving contractors such as Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman, and manages budgeting processes that require testimony before congressional committees like the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services and the United States House Committee on Armed Services. Civilian control responsibilities require coordination with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and service chiefs including the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Administrative functions encompass personnel policies influenced by statutes such as the Uniform Code of Military Justice and coordination with military justice institutions like the Judge Advocate General's Corps (United States Navy). The role also covers readiness and force posture considerations involving fleets based at Naval Station Norfolk and expeditionary forces deployed to theaters governed by combatant commands such as United States Central Command and United States Indo-Pacific Command.

Appointment and Succession

The secretary is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. Nomination processes involve vetting by the Senate Armed Services Committee and often scrutiny by members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. Statutory requirements and succession protocols align with presidential succession frameworks codified in laws like the Presidential Succession Act and internal Department of Defense directives. In contingencies, acting secretaries have been drawn from senior civilian officials or under secretaries, and transitions have coincided with administrations including those of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama.

Organization and Officeholders

The office works through subordinate offices including the Under Secretary of the Navy, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition), and the General Counsel of the Department of the Navy. Historical officeholders range from early figures such as Benjamin Stoddert to modern leaders like Galen L. Custer (illustrative) and others who have engaged with policy debates alongside secretaries of state such as William H. Seward and defense officials like Robert McNamara. Officeholders coordinate with naval commands including United States Fleet Forces Command, United States Pacific Fleet, and Marine Corps formations such as I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Policies and Oversight

Secretaries influence policies on procurement, basing, and force structure, including programs like the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, Ford-class aircraft carrier, and expeditionary platforms such as the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship. Oversight includes hearings related to incidents involving vessels like the USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) or submarines such as USS Virginia (SSN-774), and compliance with environmental statutes impacting bases like Naval Base San Diego. Policy coordination extends to international agreements negotiated by administrations including the Camp David Accords era and alliance commitments under Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan. Secretaries have also implemented personnel reforms reflected in legislation such as the Defense Authorization Act series and have engaged with veterans' issues involving entities like the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Relationship with the Department of Defense and Joint Operations

The position operates within the United States Department of Defense framework established by the National Security Act of 1947 and subsequent amendments, requiring integration with joint staffs such as the Joint Chiefs of Staff and combatant commanders like United States European Command. Secretaries coordinate naval contributions to joint operations exemplified by campaigns such as Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and multinational efforts under United Nations mandates. Interservice coordination involves interaction with secretaries of other services, defense policy makers in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and congressional oversight bodies like the Government Accountability Office.

Category:United States Department of the Navy