Vice Chief of Naval Operations
{{Short description|Second highest-ranking officer in the U.S. Navy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Vice Chief
| body = Naval Operations
| native_name =
| insignia = File:Emblem of the United States Navy.svg
| insigniasize =
| insigniacaption = Mark of the U.S. Navy
| flag = Flag of the United States Vice Chief of Naval Operations.svg
| flagsize =
| flagcaption = Flag of the vice chief of naval operations
| image = ADM James W. Kilby.jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
| incumbent = Admiral James W. Kilby
| incumbentsince = 5 January 2024
| department = United States Navy
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
| style =
| type =
| status =
| abbreviation = VCNO
| member_of =
| reports_to = Chief of Naval Operations
| residence =
| seat =
| nominator =
| appointer = The president
| appointer_qualified = with Senate advice and consent
| termlength =
| termlength_qualified =
| constituting_instrument = {{UnitedStatesCode|10|8035}}
| precursor =
| formation = {{start date and age|df=yes|1942|03|26}}
| first = Frederick J. Horne
| last =
| abolished =
| succession =
| unofficial_names =
| deputy =
| salary =
| website =
}}
The vice chief of naval operations (VCNO) is the second highest-ranking commissioned United States Navy officer and functions as the principal deputy of the chief of naval operations. By statute, the vice chief is appointed as a four-star admiral.{{cite web |date=15 March 2025 |title=10 U.S. Code § 8035 - Vice Chief of Naval Operations |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/8035 |access-date=15 March 2025 |website=Cornell Law School, Legal Information Institute, U.S. Code: Table Of Contents}}
Role
The senior leadership of the U.S. Department of the Navy consists of two civilians, the secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) and the under secretary of the Navy (USECNAV), as well as the four senior commissioned officers on the two military service staffs: Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) and Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC).
The vice chief is the principal deputy of the chief of Naval operations (CNO). The vice chief may also perform other delegated duties that either the secretary of the Navy or the CNO assigns to him or her. If the CNO is absent or is unable to perform their duties, then the vice chief assumes the duties and responsibilities of the CNO. Within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, while there are several Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations (DCNOs) of either three or two star rank, there is only one VCNO.
The vice chief is appointed by the president of the United States, and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. While there is not a fixed term nor a term limit in the statute; the historical precedent is that a vice chief of naval operations serves for a tenure of two to three years.
Historical background
The equivalent of the current VCNO position was called Assistant for Operations in 1915, and Assistant Chief of Naval Operations in 1922. In 1942 the title became Vice Chief of Naval Operations.{{cite web
|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/research-guides/lists-of-senior-officers-and-civilian-officials-of-the-us-navy/vice-chief-of-naval-operations.html
|title=Vice Chief of Naval Operations
|date=22 June 2016
|work=Lists of Senior Officers and Civilian Officials of the US Navy
|publisher=Naval History and Heritage Command
|access-date=17 June 2019
}}
See also
- Under Secretary of the Navy
- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
- Vice Chief of Staff of the Army (U.S. Army counterpart)
- Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps (U.S. Marine Corps counterpart)
- Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force (U.S. Air Force counterpart)
- Vice Chief of Space Operations (U.S. Space Force counterpart)
- Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard (U.S. Coast Guard counterpart)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Chief-of-Naval-Operations/ Office of the Chief of Naval Operations]
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