Organizing OPNAV (1970-2009). Revision 2

The Naval History and Heritage Command NHHC is committed to providing all U.S. Navy personnel, especially decision makers, their staffs, and the faculty and students of its educational institutions with a deeper understanding of their past. Such an understanding enables the making of more sophisticated and nuanced Navy policy decisions in the present and future. To this end, NHHC is embarking on a study of the origins and development of the position of Chief of Naval Operations CNO and his staff OPNAV, to provide needed perspective and context for current and future incumbents in that position and office. Completion of this study is timed to coincide with the upcoming 100th anniversary of the 1915 creation of the position of CNO by President Woodrow Wilson. It is intended to expand upon and update the existing literature on the subject, which is becoming outdated, especially Dr. Thomas Hones excellent Power and Change The Administrative History of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, 1946-1986 published in 1989 by the Naval Historical Center NHHCs predecessor organization. 2. As an initial input to that effort, NHHC commissioned CNA, the Navys Federally Funded Research and Development Center to examine recent changes in OPNAV including the latest reorganization near the end of 2009. It is NHHCs intention to use this preliminary study as one of several points of departure for its larger effort. Meanwhile, since this CNA study may have some current utility beyond its originally intended use, it is provided to you now as an attachment to this memorandum.