No. 5 Washington, D. C., 4 June 1953 POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE DISTRIBUTION OF AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NAVAL ESTABLISHMENT DEFINITIONS 1. The Naval Establishment consists of three principal parts: a. The Operating Forces are the several fleets, seagoing forces, sea frontier forces, district forces, and such of the shore establishment of the Navy and other forces and activities as may be assigned to the operating forces by the President or Secretary of the Navy. b. The Navy Department, the executive part of the Naval Establishment located at the seat of the government, which comprises the bureaus, boards and offices of the Navy Department; the Headquarters of the Marine Corps; and the Headquarters of the Coast Guard (when assigned to the Navy). c. The Shore Establishment, which comprises all other activities of the Naval Establishment including all shore activities not assigned to the Operating Forces. 2. It is fundamental naval policy to "maintain the Navy as a thoroughly integrated entity in sufficient strength on the sea and in the air to uphold, in conjunction with our other Armed Forces, our national policies and interests, to support our commerce and our international obligations, and to guard the United States including its overseas possessions and dependencies." The effectuation of this policy imposes upon the administration of the Naval Establishment four principal tasks: a. First, to interpret, apply and uphold the national policies and interests in the development and use of the Naval Establishment. This task may be described as the "policy control" of the Naval Establishment. b. Second, to command the Operating Forces, and to maintain them in a state of readiness to conduct war; and to promulgate to the Naval Establishment directives embracing matters of operations, security, intelligence, discipline, naval communications, and similar matters of naval administration. This task may be described as the "naval command" of the Naval Establishment. c. Third, to coordinate and direct the effort of the Navy Department and the Shore Establishment in order to assure the development, procurement, production and distribution of material, facilities and personnel to the Operating Forces. This task may be described as the "logistics administration and control" of the Naval Establishment. d. Fourth, to develop and maintain efficiency and economy in the operation of the Naval Establishment with particular regard to matters of organization, staffing, administrative procedures, the utilization of personnel, materials and facilities, and the budgeting and expenditure of funds. This task may be described as the "business administration" of the Naval Establishment. 3. The executive administration of the Naval Establishment as prescribed by law, executive order or directive, consists of: a. The Secretary of the Navy, who is responsible under the direction, authority, and control of the Secretary of Defense for the supervision of all naval matters. b. The Civilian Executive Assistants to the Secretary (the Under Secretary, the Assistant Secretary, the Assistant Secretary for Air and the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary) who perform such duties as prescribed by the Secretary or as required by law. c. The Naval Professional Assistants to the Secretary, who comprise: (1) The Naval Command Assistant (The Chief of Naval Operations) who is responsible under the Secretary of the Navy (a) for the command and administration of the Operating Forces; (b) for the preparation, readiness and logistic support of the Operating Forces; and (c) for the coordination and direction of effort to this end of the bureaus and offices of the Navy Department. NOTE. This general order supersedes General Order No. 5 dated 10 Feb. 1947. (2) The Marine Corps Command Assistant (the Commandant of the Marine Corps) is charged with and is responsible directly to the Secretary of the Navy and to the Chief of Naval Operations in his capacity as naval executive to the Secretary of the Navy for the command and administration of the Marine Corps. (3) The Commandant of the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is assigned to the Navy. (4) The Naval Technical Assistants (The Chiefs of Bureaus; the Chief of Naval Research; the Chief of Naval Material; and the Judge Advocate General), who are directly responsible for the discharge of all the duties assigned to their respective organizations, and are the technical advisers and assistants, in their special fields, to the Secretary, the Civilian Executive Assistants, and the Chief of Naval Operations 4. The four principal tasks of the executive administration of the Naval Establishment (defined in paragraph 2) will be divided, in accordance with law and executive orders, among the Secretary, his Civilian Executive Assistants and his Naval Professional Assistants as set forth in the following paragraphs. PRIMARY DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY 5. The Secretary of the Navy, under the direction, authority and control of the Secretary of Defense is responsible for the supervision of all naval matters. In the discharge of this broad responsibility: a. He will maintain direct and complete "policy control" of the Naval Establishment (see paragraph 2a above), but will, as fully as practicable, exercise such "policy control" through his Civilian Executive Assistants and his Naval Professional Assistants. b. He will delegate nonpolicy duties to these Assistants. He will, however, maintain under his immediate supervision and direction those activities of the Navy Department which involve vital relationships with principal governmental officials and the public. c. As head of the Naval Establishment he shall be the principal morale officer and shall direct such effort as is necessary to promote the welfare of the officers and enlisted men and to maintain the morale of all members of the Navy at the highest level. d. He will be supported by such councils of advisers and such staff of personal assistants as required to keep him currently informed of the condition and performance of all parts of the Naval Establishment. e. He will reserve the right of direct communication with any principal official of the Navy Department, the Shore Establishment and the Operating Forces. f. He will recommend to the President the appointment, removal or reassignment of the incumbents of the legally constituted positions of the Naval Establishment; and will in his own discretion control the selection and assignment of all other principal naval officials. DUTIES OF THE CIVILIAN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS 6. It will be the policy of the Secretary to assign the following duties, in accordance with law and executive orders, to his Civilian Executive Assistants: a. Responsibility for assuring that the "business administration" of the bureaus, boards and offices of the Navy Department is properly administered. As determined by the Secretary, each such bureau, board, and office will report to the Secretary or one of his Civilian Executive Assistants and shall be subject to his general supervision for all matters affecting economy and efficiency of operation, including organization, staffing, administrative (nonmilitary) procedures, the utilization of personnel, materials, and facilities; and the budgeting and expenditure of funds. b. Responsibility for assuring that the "business administration" of component activities of the Shore Establishment is properly administered by the cognizant bureaus and offices of the Navy Department. c. Responsibility for collaborating with and assisting the Chief of Naval Operations in evaluating and improving the "business administration" of the Operating Forces. d. Responsibility for that portion of the "logistics administration and control" of the Naval Establishment which embraces: (1) The promulgation of policies and general procedures governing the activities of the Navy Department and the Shore Establishment with respect to: (a) the procurement and production of matériel and facilities; (b) the determination of stock levels and replenishment requirements in collaboration with the Chief of Naval Operations, and the administration of inventory control systems; (c) the correlation and programing of research, experimental, test and developmental activities; (d) the procurement and administration of personnel. (2) The review and evaluation of the compliance of the bureaus and offices and of the Shore Establishment with such policies and procedures, (paragraph d (1) above) and the issuance of such orders as required to assure compliance therewith. (3) Collaboration with the Chief of Naval Operations in reconciling difficulties encountered in meeting the requirements of the Operating Forces due to scarcity of funds, materials, products, facilities or personnel. (4) Representation of the Navy's procurement requirements before other governmental agencies controlling the availability of products, materials and facilities. e. Responsibility for assuring that the conduct of the Naval Establishment is in accordance with law, statute and executive order; the correlation, preparation and presentation of legislation as may be required for the improvement of effectiveness and efficiency and the utilization of the best legal practices with regard to matters of contract, taxation, real estate, etc. * * * f. Responsibility for supervision of boards created by law or executive order requiring action by the Secretary on matters of promotion, retirement, honors and the like involving Naval Personnel. g. The division of duties and responsibilities among the Civilian Executive Assistants will be prescribed in directives from the Secretary of the Navy. DUTIES OF THE NAVAL PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANTS 7. It will be the policy of the Secretary to assign the following duties, in accordance with law and executive orders, to the Chief of Naval Operations: a. Responsibility for the "naval command" of the Naval Establishment, which responsibility embraces: (1) Command of the Operating Forces. (2) The functions of principal naval adviser to the President and the Secretary on the conduct war, and the function of principal naval adviser and naval executive to the Secretary of the Navy on the conduct of the activities of the Naval Establishment. of (3) The promulgation to the bureaus, boards and offices of the Navy Department and to the Shore Establishment of such directives as he deems necessary with respect to matters of operations, security, intelligence, communications, naval personnel discipline and similar matters affecting the naval maintenance and protection of the Naval Establishment. b. Responsibility for that portion of the "logistics administration and control" of the Naval Establishment which embraces: (1) Planning and forecasting the needs of the Operating Forces for finished material, trained personnel and supporting services. (2) Issuing statements of these requirements-in as broad terms as practicable of what is needed, when it is needed and where it is needed-to the bureaus and offices of the Navy Department and through them, to the Shore Establishment. This responsibility shall encompass the determination of naval characteristics for matériel to be procured or developed, and the determination of the training and instruction required to fit naval personnel and commands for service with the Operating Forces. (3) Reviewing and evaluating the progress of the bureaus and offices and of the Shore Establishment in fulfilling the above requirements, (paragraph b (1) and (2) above) and issuing such instructions as required to assure compliance therewith. (4) Collaborating with the Civilian Executive Assistants (a) in expediting fulfillment of these requirements; (b) in evaluating and strengthening the policies and procedures governing the determination of stock levels and replenishment requirements, and the administration of inventory control systems. 8. The Commandant of the Marine Corps is responsible directly to the Secretary of the Navy and to the Chief of Naval Operations in his capacity as naval executive to the Secretary of the Navy for: a. The administration, organization, training, and efficiency of the Marine Corps. b. The command of all United States Marine Corps units and activities, except those elements included in a unified command or assigned to the Operating Forces or Shore Establishment of the Navy. c. The development of the tactics, techniques, and equipment employed by landing forces in amphibious operations. d. The providing of technical advice for the Secretary of the Navy, and Civilian Executive Assistants, and the Chief of Naval Operations in the formulation of policies and procedures for the Naval Establishment. 9. The Naval Technical Assistants are responsible for the immediate supervision and direction of all of the work of their respective organizations in accordance with the orders and directives of the Secretary of the Navy, the Civilian Executive Assistants and the Chief of Naval Operations, as provided in paragraphs 5, 6, and 7 above. In pursuance of the foregoing, these officials shall be immediately responsible within the limits of their respective cognizance, for: a. The research in, and the development, procurement, production, utilization and distribution of, material and facilities. b. The procurement, training, administration and assignment of personnel. c. The operation of all activities under their cognizance. d. The sound and legal expenditure of funds appropriated for the performance of their work, including the preparation of estimates for funds required to carry out approved plans and directives. e. Acting as technical advisers and assistants to the Secretary of the Navy, the Civilian Executive Assistants and the Chief of Naval Operations in the formulation of policies and procedures governing the administration of the Naval Establishment. U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1953 R. B. ANDERSON, Secretary of the Navy. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office |