Vice Chief of Naval Operations

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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

List of vice chiefs of naval operations

No.	Image	Name	Tenure		Post(s) held after VCNO tenure
			Began	Ended
1	File:Admiral Frederick J Horne.png	VADM (ADM) Frederick J. Horne	26 March 1942	2 September 1945	Template:Small
2	File:ADM Richard S. Edwards.jpg	ADM Richard S. Edwards Jr.	1945	1946	Template:Small
3	File:Adm ramsey.jpg	ADM DeWitt Clinton Ramsey	15 January 1946	3 January 1948	Template:Small
4	File:ADM Arthur Radford.JPG	VADM Arthur W. Radford	January 1948	May 1949	Template:Small
5	File:VADM John Dale Price USN aviator 1892-1957.png	VADM John D. Price	1949	1950	Template:Small
6	File:ADM McCormick, Lynde D.jpg	ADM Lynde D. McCormick	1950	1951	Template:Small
7	File:Donald B Duncan.jpg	ADM Donald B. Duncan	1951	1956	Template:Small
8	File:Harry Donald Felt.jpg	ADM Harry D. Felt	1956	1958	Template:Small
9	File:ADM James S. Russell.jpg	ADM James S. Russell	21 July 1958	September 1961	Template:Small
10	File:ADM Claude V. Ricketts.jpg	ADM Claude V. Ricketts	25 September 1961	6 July 1964	Template:Small
11	File:ADM Rivero, Horacio Jr.jpg	ADM Horacio Rivero, Jr.	July 1964	January 1968	Template:Small
12	File:Chick Clarey (edit).jpg	ADM Bernard A. Clarey		December 1970	Template:Small
13	File:L38-18 ADM Ralph W. Cousins.jpg	ADM Ralph W. Cousins	1970	1972	Template:Small
14	File:CINCPAC ADM Weisner.jpg	ADM Maurice F. Weisner	1972	1973	Template:Small
15	File:James Holloway III.jpg	ADM James L. Holloway III	September 1973	1974	Template:Small
16	File:ADM Worth H. Bagley.jpg	ADM Worth H. Bagley	June 1974	July 1975	Template:Small
17	File:ADM Shear, Harold Edson.jpg	ADM Harold E. Shear	1975	1977	Template:Small
18	File:Robert LJ Long.jpg	ADM Robert L. J. Long	July 1977	April 1979	Template:Small
19	File:Admiral James Watkins, official military photo.JPEG	ADM James D. Watkins	April 1979	1981	Template:Small
20	File:ADM Small, William Newell.jpg	ADM William N. Small	1981	1983	Template:Small
21	File:Ronald J Hays.jpg	ADM Ronald J. Hays	1983	1985	Template:Small
22	File:James B Busey IV.jpg	ADM James B. Busey IV	September 1985	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Small
23	File:Huntington Hardisty.jpg	ADM Huntington Hardisty	March 1987	1988	Template:Small
24	File:Portrait of US Navy Admiral Leon A. Edney.jpg	ADM Leon A. Edney	August 1988	May 1990	Template:Small
25	File:Jerome L Johnson.jpg	ADM Jerome L. Johnson	May 1990	July 1992	Template:Small
26	File:Stanley R Arthur.jpg	ADM Stanley R. Arthur	6 July 1992	1995	Template:Small
27	File:Joseph W. Prueher, ADM USN, 1996.jpg	ADM Joseph W. Prueher	April 1995	1996	Template:Small
28	File:Admiral Jay L. Johnson, 1996.jpg	ADM Jay L. Johnson	April 1996	August 1996	Template:Small
29	File:Admiral Harold W. Gehman, Jr..jpg	ADM Harold W. Gehman, Jr.	September 1996	September 1997	Template:Small
30	File:Donald L Pilling.jpg	ADM Donald L. Pilling	October 1997	October 2000	Template:Small
31	File:Adm. William J. Fallon.jpg	ADM William J. Fallon	October 2000	August 2003	Template:Small
32	File:Admiral Michael Mullen, official Navy photograph.jpg	ADM Michael G. Mullen	August 2003	August 2004	Template:Small
33	File:John B. Nathman.jpg	ADM John B. Nathman	August 2004	February 2005	Template:Small
34	File:Robert F. Willard cov.jpg	ADM Robert F. Willard	18 March 2005	5 April 2007	Template:Small
35	File:ADM Walsh.jpg	ADM Patrick M. Walsh	5 April 2007	13 August 2009	Template:Small
36	File:Jonathan W. Greenert 2010.jpg	ADM Jonathan W. Greenert	13 August 2009	22 August 2011	Template:Small
37	File:ADM Mark E. Ferguson III VCNO.jpg	ADM Mark E. Ferguson III	22 August 2011	1 July 2014	Template:Small
38	File:Admiral Michelle J. Howard VCNO.jpg	ADM Michelle J. Howard	1 July 2014	31 May 2016	Template:Small
39	File:Moran 2016 2.jpg	ADM William F. Moran	31 May 2016	10 June 2019	Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
40	File:Adm. Robert P. Burke.jpg	ADM Robert P. Burke	10 June 2019	29 May 2020	Template:Small
41	File:Adm. William K. Lescher.jpg	ADM William K. Lescher	29 May 2020	2 September 2022	Template:Small
42	File:ADM Lisa M. Franchetti (2).jpg	ADM Lisa M. Franchetti	2 September 2022	2 November 2023	Template:Small
43	File:ADM James W. Kilby.jpg	ADM James W. Kilby	5 January 2024	Incumbent

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)

External links

• Office of the Chief of Naval Operations