Chapter 5 United States Military Organization

CHAPTER 5 UNITED STATES MILITARY ORGANIZATION After graduating from Navy recruit training, you went on to your first school or duty station. At that time you were probably either a seaman recruit or a seaman apprentice. As you progressed to seaman, you learned from others. You were trained to stand watches and perform your job properly. As you go up in rate you will receive additional responsibilities and authority along with the privileges of each new paygrade. At this time, you are preparing for advancement to petty officer third class and above. Depending upon where you are stationed, you may be assigned to any variety of positions of authority. You even may be called upon to help in some of the training of your shipmates. The experience and training you have gained while moving up the advancement ladder will be a valuable asset to you in performing your present and future duties. In this chapter, you will study the military organization and some typical military duties a petty officer class will be expected to perform. MILITARY ORGANIZATION OTHER THAN DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY Learning Objectives: Recall the mission and function of the President, Secretary of Defense, secretaries of the military departments, Chairman and Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the unified combatant commands of the U.S. Armed Forces. While standing watch as petty officer of the watch (POOW), you will on many occasions be “passing the word” for official visitors to your ship or station. Words such as “COMPHIBRON FIVE, arriving” or “COMDESGRU TWO, departing” are examples of the proper way to announce arrivals or departures. You will need to know the names and abbreviations and be aware of the missions of major commands within the Department of the Navy. On many quarterdecks there are pictures of members of the chain of command (COC) and any other COC or officials deployed at that command. You should become familiar with them for sight recognition. In addition as a second class petty officer knowing the military chain of command starting with the Commander in Chief of the United States Armed Forces will serve as a foundation for military bearing. Knowing the “big” picture and the importance of each activity’s role in the chain of command will aid you in understanding and explaining to subordinates how our military works. PRESIDENT (COMMANDER IN CHIEF) Article II, section 1, of the Constitution provides that the executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. The President shall hold office for a term of 4 years, together with the vice president, chosen for the same term. In addition to the powers set forth in the Constitution, the statutes have conferred upon the President specific authority and responsibility covering a wide range of matters. The President is the administrative head of the executive branch of the government, which includes numerous agencies, both temporary and permanent, as well as the 14 executive departments. The President’s power as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces is extensive. That power increases in war or any other national emergency. For example, the President may declare an emergency and call out the military reserves. He or she may even order the armed forces into military action before Congress actually declares war. Often in cases of national emergency of vital American interests, a President has referred a matter to Congress after the fact. 5-1 I can imagine no more rewarding career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: “I served in the United States Navy.” —President John F. Kennedy