Chief of Naval Operations - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Chief of Naval Operations (acronym: CNO) is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy

United States Department of the Navy

The Department of the Navy of the United States of America was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, to provide a government organizational structure to the United States Navy and, from 1834 onwards, for the United States Marine Corps, and when directed by the President, of the...

. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy

United States Secretary of the Navy

The Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...

. In a separate capacity as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...

the CNO is a military adviser to the National Security Council

United States National Security Council

The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...

, the Homeland Security Council, the Secretary of Defense

United States Secretary of Defense

The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...

, and the President

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

. The Chief of Naval Operations is typically the highest ranking officer on active-duty in the U.S. Navy unless the Chairman

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...

and/or the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the second highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces ranking just below the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...

are naval officers.

The Chief of Naval Operations is an administrative position based in the Pentagon

The Pentagon

The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...

, and while the CNO does not have operational command authority over Naval forces as the title implies (that is nowdays within the purview of the Combatant Commanders

Unified Combatant Command

A Unified Combatant Command is a United States Department of Defense command that is composed of forces from at least two Military Departments and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of...

who report to the Secretary of Defense), the CNO does exercise supervision of Navy organizations as the designee of the Secretary of the Navy.

The current Chief of Naval Operations is Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert

Jonathan W. Greenert

Jonathan W. Greenert is a United States Navy admiral currently serving as the 30th Chief of Naval Operations. He previously served as the 36th Vice Chief of Naval Operations from August 13, 2009 to August 22, 2011. Prior to that, he served as Commander, U.S...

Department of the Navy

The CNO reports directly to the Secretary of the Navy

United States Secretary of the Navy

The Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...

for the command, utilization of resources and operating efficiency of the operating forces of the Navy and of the Navy shore activities assigned by the Secretary. Under the authority of the Secretary of the Navy, the CNO also designates naval personnel and naval resources to the commanders of Unified Combatant Command

Unified Combatant Command

s. The CNO also performs all other functions prescribed under and those assigned by the secretary or delegates those duties and responsibilities to other officers in his administration under his name. Like the other joint chiefs, the CNO is an administrative position and has no operational command authority over United States naval forces.

Joint Chiefs of Staff

The CNO is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Joint Chiefs of Staff

, and is thus the principal adviser to the President of the United States

President of the United States

, the Secretary of Defense

United States Secretary of Defense

and to the National Security Council on the conduct of naval warfare.

Office of the Chief of Naval Operations

The Chief of Naval Operations presides over the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OpNav), which is one of three headquarters staffs in Department of the Navy (the others being the Office of the Secretary of the Navy and Headquarters Marine Corps

Headquarters Marine Corps

Headquarters Marine Corps is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions...

Appointment

The Chief of Naval Operations is nominated by the President for appointment and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

. A requirement for being Chief of Naval Operations is having significant experience in joint duty assignments, which includes at least one full tour of duty in a joint duty assignment as a flag officer. However, the president may waive those requirements if he determines the officer is necessary for national interest. By statute, the CNO is appointed as a four-star admiral

Admiral (United States)

In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...

Former Official Residence

Number One Observatory Circle

Number One Observatory Circle is the official residence of the Vice President of the United States.Located on the northeast grounds of the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, DC, the house was built in 1893 for its superintendent. The Chief of Naval Operations liked the house so much...

, located on the northeast grounds of the United States Naval Observatory

United States Naval Observatory

The United States Naval Observatory is one of the oldest scientific agencies in the United States, with a primary mission to produce Positioning, Navigation, and Timing for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Defense...

in Washington, DC, was built in 1893 for its superintendent. The Chief of Naval Operations liked the house so much that in 1923 he took over the house as his own official residence

Official residence

An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside...

. It remained the residence of the CNO until 1974, when Congress

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

authorized its transformation to an official residence for the Vice President

Vice President of the United States

The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...

List of Chiefs of Naval Operations (1915-Present)

The position of CNO replaced the position of Aide for Naval Operations, which was a position established by administrative law rather than statute.

	Chief of Naval Operations	Term began	Term ended
1	ADM Admiral (United States) In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health... William S. Benson William S. Benson William Shepherd Benson was an Admiral in the United States Navy and the first Chief of Naval Operations , holding the post throughout World War I.-Biography:...	May 11, 1915	September 25, 1919
2	ADM Robert E. Coontz	November 1, 1919	July 21, 1923
3	ADM Edward W. Eberle	July 21, 1923	November 14, 1927
4	ADM Charles F. Hughes	November 14, 1927	September 17, 1930
5	ADM William V. Pratt	September 17, 1930	June 30, 1933
6	ADM William H. Standley	July 1, 1933	January 1, 1937
7	FADM William D. Leahy William D. Leahy Fleet Admiral William Daniel Leahy was an American naval officer, building his reputation through administration and staff work. As Chief of Naval Operations he was the senior officer in Navy, overseeing the preparations for war. After retiring from the Navy he was appointed by his close friend...	January 2, 1937	August 1, 1939
8	ADM Harold R. Stark	August 1, 1939	March 2, 1942
9	FADM Ernest J. King	March 2, 1942	December 15, 1945
10	FADM Chester W. Nimitz	December 15, 1945	December 15, 1947
11	ADM Louis E. Denfeld Louis E. Denfeld Louis Emil Denfeld , was Chief of Naval Operations of the United States Navy from 15 December 1947 to 1 November 1949. He also held several significant surface commands during World War II, and after the war commanded the U.S...	December 15, 1947	November 2, 1949
12	ADM Forrest P. Sherman	November 2, 1949	July 22, 1951
13	ADM William M. Fechteler	August 16, 1951	August 17, 1953
14	ADM Robert B. Carney	August 17, 1953	August 17, 1955
15	ADM Arleigh A. Burke	August 17, 1955	August 1, 1961
16	ADM George W. Anderson Jr.	August 1, 1961	August 1, 1963
17	ADM David L. McDonald David L. McDonald David Lamar McDonald, USN, was an Admiral of the United States Navy, who served as the 17th Chief of Naval Operations , 1 August 1963 – 1 August 1967, during the Vietnam War era.-Military career:...	August 1, 1963	August 1, 1967
18	ADM Thomas H. Moorer	August 1, 1967	July 1, 1970
19	ADM Elmo R. Zumwalt	July 1, 1970	June 29, 1974
20	ADM James L. Holloway III James L. Holloway III James Lemuel Holloway III is a retired United States Navy admiral and naval aviator who was highly decorated for his actions during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. After the Vietnam War, he was posted to The Pentagon, where he established the Navy's Nuclear Powered Carrier...	June 29, 1974	July 1, 1978
21	ADM Thomas B. Hayward Thomas B. Hayward Admiral Thomas Bibb Hayward was Chief of Naval Operations for the United States Navy from July 1, 1978, until June 30, 1982, after which he retired from military service. He is a 1947 graduate of the United States Naval Academy...	July 1, 1978	June 30, 1982
22	ADM James D. Watkins James D. Watkins Admiral James David Watkins is a retired United States Navy officer and former Chief of Naval Operations who also served as U.S. Secretary of Energy during the George H. W. Bush Administration and chaired U.S. government commissions on HIV/AIDS and ocean policy. Watkins has also served on the...	June 30, 1982	June 30, 1986
23	ADM Carlisle A.H. Trost	July 1, 1986	June 29, 1990
24	ADM Frank B. Kelso II Frank B. Kelso II Frank Benton Kelso II is a retired admiral of the United States Navy, who served as Chief of Naval Operations in the early 1990s.-Early life:...	June 29, 1990	April 23, 1994
25	ADM Jeremy M. Boorda	April 23, 1994	May 16, 1996
26	ADM Jay L. Johnson Jay L. Johnson Admiral Jay L. Johnson, USN, is a retired United States Navy officer who served from 1996-2000 as 26th Chief of Naval Operations . He succeeded to the position following the death of Admiral Jeremy M. Boorda...	May 16, 1996	July 21, 2000
27	ADM Vern Clark Vern Clark Admiral Vernon E. Clark USN was the Chief of Naval Operations in the United States Navy. He retired 22 July 2005, making his tenure of five years the second-longest serving CNO behind Arleigh Burke. He currently sits on the board of directors of Raytheon and SRI International...	July 21, 2000	July 22, 2005
28	ADM Michael Mullen Michael Mullen Michael Glenn "Mike" Mullen is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral, who served as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2011. Mullen previously served as the Navy's 28th Chief of Naval Operations from July 22, 2005 to September 29, 2007...	July 22, 2005	September 29, 2007
29	ADM Gary Roughead Gary Roughead Gary Roughead is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who last served as the 29th Chief of Naval Operations from September 29, 2007 to September 22, 2011. He previously served as Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, from May 17, 2007, to September 29, 2007. Prior to that he served as...	September 29, 2007	September 23, 2011
30	ADM Jonathan W. Greenert Jonathan W. Greenert Jonathan W. Greenert is a United States Navy admiral currently serving as the 30th Chief of Naval Operations. He previously served as the 36th Vice Chief of Naval Operations from August 13, 2009 to August 22, 2011. Prior to that, he served as Commander, U.S...	September 23, 2011	"Present"