Under Secretary of the Navy

Under Secretary of the Navy
United States Army Institute Of Heraldry · Public domain · source
Post	Under Secretary of the Navy
Body	United States Department of the Navy
Style	Mr. Under Secretary
Reports to	Secretary of the Navy
Seat	The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia
Appointer	President of the United States
Formation	1940
First	James V. Forrestal

Under Secretary of the Navy The Under Secretary of the Navy is a senior civilian official in the United States Department of the Navy who serves as the principal deputy to the Secretary of the Navy and assists in oversight of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. The position interfaces with entities such as the Department of Defense, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the United States Congress to advance policies affecting procurement, readiness, and personnel. Historically linked to leaders like James V. Forrestal and working alongside offices including the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Under Secretary plays a central role in administrative, financial, and strategic matters.

History

The office traces origins to reorganizations preceding World War II when expansion of naval responsibilities required a civilian deputy; early influence came from figures associated with the Naval Appropriations Act debates and interwar naval policy shaped by the Washington Naval Treaty and the London Naval Treaty. During the Cold War, occupants of the office engaged with policymakers involved in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and nuclear force posture discussions linked to the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. In later decades the role adapted amid reforms prompted by the Goldwater–Nichols Act and responses to crises such as the Gulf War and the Global War on Terrorism, interacting with committees of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives on authorization and appropriation measures.

Role and Responsibilities

The Under Secretary assists in execution of policies concerning acquisition programs such as programs overseen by Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Systems Command, and Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, and coordinates with the Defense Acquisition University and the Pentagon acquisition enterprise. Responsibilities include budget formulation linked to the President's Budget, implementation of personnel policies affecting sailors and Marines in concert with the Chief of Naval Personnel and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), and stewardship of shipbuilding in yards like Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The Under Secretary also liaises with industrial partners such as General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman on procurement, and with international counterparts in alliances like NATO and bilateral relationships exemplified by ties to the Royal Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Appointment and Confirmation

The Under Secretary is nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate pursuant to advice and consent procedures established under statutes such as the Appointments Clause and oversight practices involving the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee. Nominees often undergo hearings addressing matters referenced in reports by the Government Accountability Office and testimony relating to programs like Ford-class aircraft carrier construction or Virginia-class submarine procurement. Historical confirmations have sometimes intersected with high-profile nominations to the Secretary of the Navy post or other cabinet-level appointments, and vacancies may be temporarily filled by acting officials under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998.

Organizational Structure and Offices

The Under Secretary oversees a staff including deputies and advisers who coordinate offices such as the Office of Naval Research, the Naval Inspector General, and policy divisions that interact with the Office of Management and Budget and the Congressional Budget Office. The office maintains relationships with commands like U.S. Fleet Forces Command and U.S. Pacific Fleet and with institutional entities such as the United States Naval Academy and the Marine Corps University. Support elements include counsel drawn from the Department of Justice when legal issues arise, and international engagement components that coordinate with entities like the United States European Command and United States Indo-Pacific Command.

List of Under Secretaries

Prominent individuals who have served include James V. Forrestal, who later became Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of Defense; John H. Dalton; Severo M. Ornstein; Seymour Weiss; John B. Mason; Paul Ignatius; Joseph W. Schmitz; Robert O. Work; and others who moved between senior roles in the Department of Defense, Congressional staff, and private sector firms such as Booz Allen Hamilton. The office has been held by career civil servants, political appointees, former flag officers, and corporate executives who have influenced naval policy and acquisition.

Notable Initiatives and Policy Impact

Under Secretaries have shaped major initiatives including shipbuilding strategies like the development of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, modernization programs tied to Aegis Combat System upgrades, and force structure decisions during operations such as Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. They have overseen reforms in acquisition management responding to Defense Acquisition Reform efforts and engaged in personnel and readiness policies impacted by events such as the Tailhook scandal and post-9/11 operational demands. The office has also influenced investments in emerging domains involving partnerships with entities like DARPA, integration of unmanned systems exemplified by MQ-25 Stingray programs, and naval ship electro-magnetic systems linked to research at institutions such as Naval Research Laboratory.

Category:United States Department of the Navy