The Navy operates the Military Sealift
Command for all armed services. The command
consists of ships, tankers, and commercial vessels
manned by civil service and contract personnel.
The prime mission of the Military Sealift
Command is to provide immediate sealift
capability in an emergency. The ships of this
command transport service personnel, their
dependents,
combat troops, and material
throughout the world.
Operating forces may command shore
activities that are outside the jurisdiction of an
area coordinator or that provide support only to
units of operating forces. Such activities may
include naval air facilities, communicantions
facilities, naval and submarine bases, ship repair
facilities, and supply depots.
The operating forces carry out naval opera-
tions needed to support the DON’s role in
upholding and advancing the national policies and
interests of the United States.
SUMMARY
Organization is not a new concept. Initially,
you learned that in its simplest form, organization
is the orderly arrangement of assets. As a person
approaching middle management, you must
understand the organization of our Navy.
Our Constitution authorized the building and
supporting of our Navy as well as the Army. The
Constitution also stated that the President of the
United States would be the Commander in Chief
of the Army and Navy. You have read the
examples of Presidential acts that show the power
of the Commander in Chief.
In 1949 the National Security Act (NSA) was
amended, thus setting up the Department of
Defense as we know it today. The NSA set up the
position of SECDEF and gave the position
presidential cabinet rank. The NSA also set up
the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The Joint Chiefs
of Staff are the top individuals from each service
who advise the Secretary of Defense and the
President on all military matters. The naval
representative to the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). The CNO is
a member of the Department of the Navy, and
so are you.
The Department of the Navy is composed of
three major parts: the Navy Department, the
Shore Establishment, and the operating forces.
This chapter discusses these major activities.
REFERENCES
Organization of the U.S. Navy, NWP 2, Depart-
ment of the Navy, Office of the Chief of Naval
Operations, Washington, DC, March 1985.
Organization of the Department of the Navy,
Headquarters Organization Branch, Office of
the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington,
DC, October 1985.
Unified Action Armed Forces, JCS Pub. 2, The
Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, DC,
December 1984.
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