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.

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.

List of vice chiefs of naval operations

No. Image Name Tenure Post(s) held after VCNO tenure Began Ended1 VADM (ADM) Frederick J. Horne 26 March 1942 2 September 1945 2 ADM Richard S. Edwards Jr. 1945 1946 3 ADM DeWitt Clinton Ramsey 15 January 1946 3 January 1948 4 VADM Arthur W. Radford January 1948 May 1949 5 VADM John D. Price 1949 1950 6 ADM Lynde D. McCormick 1950 1951 7 ADM Donald B. Duncan 1951 1956 8 ADM Harry D. Felt 1956 1958 9 ADM James S. Russell 21 July 1958 September 1961 10 ADM Claude V. Ricketts 25 September 1961 6 July 1964 11 ADM Horacio Rivero, Jr. July 1964 January 1968 12 ADM Bernard A. Clarey December 1970 13 ADM Ralph W. Cousins 1970 1972 14 ADM Maurice F. Weisner 1972 1973 15 ADM James L. Holloway III September 1973 1974 16 ADM Worth H. Bagley June 1974 July 1975 17 ADM Harold E. Shear 1975 1977 18 ADM Robert L. J. Long July 1977 April 1979 19 ADM James D. Watkins April 1979 1981 20 ADM William N. Small 1981 1983 21 ADM Ronald J. Hays 1983 1985 22 ADM James B. Busey IV September 1985 March 1987 23 ADM Huntington Hardisty March 1987 1988 24 ADM Leon A. Edney August 1988 May 1990 25 ADM Jerome L. Johnson May 1990 July 1992 26 ADM Stanley R. Arthur 6 July 1992 1995 27 ADM Joseph W. Prueher April 1995 1996 28 ADM Jay L. Johnson April 1996 August 1996 29 ADM Harold W. Gehman, Jr. September 1996 September 1997 30 ADM Donald L. Pilling October 1997 October 2000 31 ADM William J. Fallon October 2000 August 2003 32 ADM Michael G. Mullen August 2003 August 2004 33 ADM John B. Nathman August 2004 February 2005 34 ADM Robert F. Willard 18 March 2005 5 April 2007 35 ADM Patrick M. Walsh 5 April 2007 13 August 2009 36 ADM Jonathan W. Greenert 13 August 2009 22 August 2011 37 ADM Mark E. Ferguson III 22 August 2011 1 July 2014 38 ADM Michelle J. Howard 1 July 2014 31 May 2016 39 ADM William F. Moran 31 May 2016 10 June 2019 40 ADM Robert P. Burke 10 June 2019 29 May 2020 41 ADM William K. Lescher 29 May 2020 2 September 2022 42 ADM Lisa M. Franchetti 2 September 2022 2 November 2023 43 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)

References

External links Office of the Chief of Naval Operations