Chief of Naval Personnel

Chief of Naval Personnel
Seal of BUPERS
Flag of a Navy vice admiral
Incumbent Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman Jr. since June 3, 2022
Bureau of Naval Personnel Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
Type	Military personnel administrator
Abbreviation	CNP
Reports to	Secretary of the Navy Chief of Naval Operations
Seat	Naval Support Facility Arlington, Arlington, Virginia
Appointer	The President with Senate advice and consent
Term length	4 years
Constituting instrument	10 U.S.C. § 8081
Inaugural holder	RADM Charles Henry Davis
Deputy	Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel
Website	Official Website

The Chief of Naval Personnel (CNP) is responsible for overall manpower readiness for the United States Navy. As such the CNP is the highest ranking human resources officer in the Navy. The CNP also serves as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education) and is one of five Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations, with the identification of N1/NT. The CNP oversees the operations of the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS), Navy Personnel Command (NPC) and the Navy Manpower Analysis Center (NAVMAC). The CNP and the other four DCNOs are nominated by the President of the United States and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. The CNP and the DCNOs are appointed as a three-star vice admiral while holding office.

The role of Chief of Naval Personnel and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Manpower, Personnel, Training & Education) go hand in hand. The DCNO performs all strategy and resource policies and serves as a single resource sponsor for all manpower and training program matters. The DCNO also performs all Capitol Hill related duties, including all Congressional testimony for matters pertaining to the Manpower, Personnel, Training, & Education command. The DNCO's office also acts as the lead organization to interface with Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of the Navy (DON) officials, other U.S. military and foreign departments, other Navy commands, other Federal agencies, and private organizations.

List of Chiefs

The Bureau of Navigation held the responsibilities for personnel management of the United States Navy until 1942, when the Bureau of Naval Personnel was established. Below is the list of Chiefs of the Bureau of Navigation and the Bureau of Naval Personnel:

#	Picture	Name	Rank	Start	End	Notability	Ref
1		DavisCharles H. Davis	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001862-07-01-0000July 1862	000000001865-04-01-0000April 1865	Veteran of Filibuster War and American Civil War; Member of Davis political family.
2		DraytonPercival Drayton	O-04 Captain	000000001865-04-01-0000April 1865	000000001865-08-01-0000August 1865	Veteran of Paraguay expedition and American Civil War for Union; Brother of Confederate General Thomas Drayton. Percival Drayton died in office.
3		DixonDavid Dixon Porter (acting)	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001865-08-01-0000August 1865	000000001865-08-01-0000August 1865	Veteran of Mexican–American War and American Civil War; Later served as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy.
4	File:Thornton Jenkins.JPG	JenkinsThornton A. Jenkins	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001865-08-01-0000August 1865	000000001869-04-01-0000April 1869	Veteran of Mexican–American War and American Civil War; Later commanded the Asiatic Squadron.
5		AldenJames Alden Jr.	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001869-04-01-0000April 1869	000000001871-10-01-0000October 1871	Veteran of Mexican–American War and American Civil War; Later commanded the European Squadron.
6		AmmenDaniel Ammen	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001871-10-01-0000October 1871	000000001878-06-01-0000June 1878	Veteran of American Civil War; Also commanded the Bureau of Yards and Docks.
7		WhitingWilliam D. Whiting	O-04 Commodore	000000001878-06-01-0000June 1878	000000001881-10-01-0000October 1881	Veteran of American Civil War;
8		WalkerJohn G. Walker	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001881-10-01-0000October 1881	000000001889-11-01-0000November 1889	Veteran of American Civil War; Also commanded the White Squadron.
9		RamsayFrancis M. Ramsay	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001889-11-01-0000November 1889	000000001897-04-01-0000April 1897	Veteran of American Civil War; Also commanded the New York Navy Yard and served as naval attaché in London.
10		CrowninshieldArent S. Crowninshield	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001897-04-01-0000April 1897	000000001902-04-01-0000April 1902	Veteran of American Civil War and Spanish–American War; Member of Crowninshield family.
11		TaylorHenry C. Taylor	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001902-04-01-0000April 1902	000000001904-08-01-0000August 1904	Veteran of American Civil War and Spanish–American War; Previously served as the President of the Naval War College. Taylor died in office.
12		ConverseGeorge A. Converse	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001904-08-01-0000August 1904	000000001907-05-01-0000May 1907	Veteran of Spanish–American War; Also commanded the Bureau of Ordnance.
13		BrownsonWillard H. Brownson	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001907-05-01-0000May 1907	000000001908-01-01-0000January 1908	Veteran of Revolta da Armada and Spanish–American War; Also served as the Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy.
14		PillsburyJohn E. Pillsbury	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001908-01-01-0000January 1908	000000001909-07-01-0000July 1909	Veteran of Spanish–American War; Later served as the President of National Geographic Society.
15		PotterWilliam P. Potter	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001909-07-01-0000July 1909	000000001909-12-01-0000December 1909	Veteran of Spanish–American War; Later served as aid for Personnel to the Secretary of the Navy George von Lengerke Meyer.
16		NicholsonReginald F. Nicholson	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001909-12-01-0000December 1909	000000001912-01-01-0000January 1912	Veteran of American Civil War, Spanish–American War and World War I; Later served as the first American naval attaché to Ecuador and Peru. Brother of Army general William J. Nicholson.
17		AndrewsPhilip Andrews	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001912-01-01-0000January 1912	000000001913-03-01-0000March 1913	Veteran of Philippine–American War and World War I; Later commanded the US Naval Forces in Europe. Recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.
18		BlueVictor Blue	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001913-03-01-0000March 1913	000000001916-08-01-0000August 1916	Veteran of Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War and World War I; Served two times as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation. Recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and Specially Meritorious Service Medal.
19		PalmerLeigh C. Palmer	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001916-08-01-0000August 1916	000000001918-12-01-0000December 1918	Veteran of Spanish–American War and World War I; Recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.
20		BlueVictor Blue	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001918-12-01-0000December 1918	000000001919-09-01-0000September 1919	Veteran of Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War and World War I; Served two times as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation. Recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and Specially Meritorious Service Medal.
21		WashingtonThomas Washington	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001919-09-01-0000September 1919	000000001923-07-01-0000July 1923	Veteran of Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War and World War I; Later served as Commandant of the Naval Operating Base, San Francisco, California and reached the rank of four-star admiral. Recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.
22		LongAndrew T. Long	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001923-07-01-0000July 1923	000000001924-06-01-0000June 1924	Veteran of Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War and World War I; Recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and Legion of Honour.
23		ShoemakerWilliam R. Shoemaker	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001924-06-01-0000June 1924	000000001927-02-01-0000February 1927	Veteran of Spanish–American War, and World War I; Recipient of the Navy Cross.
24		LeighRichard H. Leigh	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001927-02-01-0000February 1927	000000001930-05-01-0000May 1930	Veteran of Spanish–American War, and World War I; Later served as four-star admiral as Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet. Recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Order of the British Empire and Order of Leopold.
25		UphamFrank B. Upham	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001930-05-01-0000May 1930	000000001933-07-01-0000July 1933	Veteran of Spanish–American War, and World War I; Later served as four-star admiral as Commander-in-Chief, Asiatic Fleet. Recipient of the Navy Cross.
26		LeahyWilliam D. Leahy	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001933-07-01-0000July 1933	000000001935-06-01-0000June 1935	Veteran of Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, World War I and World War II; One of four men, who achieved the rank of fleet admiral. Later served as Chief of Naval Operations or first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Recipient of the Navy Cross and three awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal.
27		AndrewsAdolphus Andrews	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001935-06-01-0000June 1935	000000001938-06-01-0000June 1938	Veteran of Spanish–American War, Veracruz Expedition, World War I and World War II; Reached the rank of vice admiral. Later served as Commander, Eastern Sea Frontier. Recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.
28		RichardsonJames O. Richardson	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001938-06-01-0000June 1938	000000001939-06-01-0000June 1939	Veteran of Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, World War I and World War II; Reached the rank of admiral. Later served as Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet.
29		NimitzChester W. Nimitz	O-04 Rear admiral	000000001939-06-01-0000June 1939	000000001941-12-01-0000December 1941	Veteran of World War I and World War II; One of four men, who achieved the rank of fleet admiral. Later served as Chief of Naval Operations or Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet. Recipient of four awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal and one Army Distinguished Service Medal.
30		JacobsRandall Jacobs	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001941-12-01-0000December 1941	000000001945-09-01-0000September 1945	Veteran of World War I and World War II; Reached the rank of vice admiral while in office. Held the command of the bureau for the duration of World War II. Recipient of Navy Distinguished Service Medal.
31		DenfeldLouis E. Denfeld	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001945-09-01-0000September 1945	000000001947-02-01-0000February 1947	Veteran of Veracruz Expedition, Haitian Campaign, World War I and World War II; Reached the rank of four-star admiral. Later served as Chief of Naval Operations or Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet. Recipient of Navy Distinguished Service Medal and three awards of Legion of Merit.
32		FechtelerWilliam M. Fechteler	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001947-02-01-0000February 1947	000000001949-09-01-0000September 1949	Veteran of World War I and World War II; Reached the rank of four-star admiral. Later served as Chief of Naval Operations or Commander-in-Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet. Recipient of two awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, one Army Distinguished Service Medal and one award of Legion of Merit.
33		RoperJohn W. Roper	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001949-09-01-0000September 1949	000000001951-03-01-0000March 1951	Veteran of World War I and World War II; Reached the rank of vice admiral. Recipient of Legion of Merit and one Navy Commendation Medal.
34		DuBoseLaurance T. DuBose	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001951-03-01-0000March 1951	000000001953-02-01-0000February 1953	Veteran of Haitian Campaign, World War I, Yangtze Patrol and World War II; Reached the rank of four-star admiral. Later served as Commander-in-Chief, United States First Fleet or Commander, Eastern Sea Frontier. Recipient of three awards of the Navy Cross and three awards of Legion of Merit.
35		Holloway Jr.James L. Holloway Jr.	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001953-02-01-0000February 1953	000000001956-01-01-0000January 1956	Veteran of World War I and World War II; Reached the rank of four-star admiral. Later commanded United States Naval Forces Europe during 1958 Lebanon crisis. Recipient of Navy Distinguished Service Medal and one award of Legion of Merit.
36		SmithHarold P. Smith	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001956-01-01-0000January 1956	000000001960-02-01-0000February 1960	Veteran of World War II; Reached the rank of four-star admiral. Later commanded United States Atlantic Command. Recipient of the Navy Cross, Navy Distinguished Service Medal and two awards of Legion of Merit.
37		SmedbergWilliam R. Smedberg III	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001960-02-01-0000February 1960	000000001964-05-01-0000May 1964	Veteran of World War II and Korea; Previously served as the Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy. Recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star and five awards of Legion of Merit.
38		Semmes Jr.Benedict J. Semmes Jr.	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001964-05-01-0000May 1964	000000001968-04-01-0000April 1968	Veteran of World War II and Korea; Later served as the President of the Naval War College or Commander-in-Chief, United States Second Fleet. Recipient of the Navy Cross, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and one award of Legion of Merit.
39		DuncanCharles K. Duncan	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001968-04-01-0000April 1968	000000001970-08-01-0000August 1970	Veteran of World War II; Later served as the Commander-in-Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet. Recipient of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and one award of Legion of Merit.
40		GuinnDick H. Guinn	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001970-08-01-0000August 1970	000000001972-02-01-0000February 1972	Veteran of World War II and Korean War; Later served as the Commander-in-Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet. Recipient of the Navy Cross, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and one award of Legion of Merit.
41		BagleyDavid H. Bagley	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001972-02-01-0000February 1972	000000001975-04-01-0000April 1975	Veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam; Son of four-star Admiral David W. Bagley and brother of four-star admiral Worth H. Bagley. Recipient of two awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and four awards of Legion of Merit.
42		WatkinsJames D. Watkins	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001975-04-01-0000April 1975	000000001978-07-01-0000July 1978	Veteran of Korea and Vietnam; Reached the rank of four-star admiral. Later served as United States Secretary of Energy or Chair of the President's Commission on the HIV Epidemic. Recipient of two awards of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, three awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and three awards of Legion of Merit.
43		BaldwinRobert B. Baldwin	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001978-07-01-0000July 1978	000000001980-08-01-0000August 1980	Veteran of World War II and Vietnam; Previously served as Commander-in-Chief, United States Seventh Fleet. Recipient of two awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and two awards of Legion of Merit.
44		ZechLando W. Zech Jr.	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001980-08-01-0000August 1980	000000001983-09-01-0000September 1983	Veteran of World War II and Korea; Previously served as Commander Naval Forces Japan. Recipient of two awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and two awards of Legion of Merit.
45		LawrenceWilliam P. Lawrence	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001983-09-01-0000September 1983	000000001986-01-01-0000January 1986	Veteran of Korea and Vietnam; Later served as Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet and as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy. Recipient of four awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and three awards of Silver Star.
46		CarlsonDudley L. Carlson	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001986-01-01-0000January 1986	000000001987-10-01-0000October 1987	Veteran of Vietnam; Two awards of Legion of Merit.
47		EdneyLeon A. Edney	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001987-10-01-0000October 1987	000000001988-08-01-0000August 1988	Veteran of Vietnam; Retired as four-star admiral. Served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations or Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic. Two awards of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and five awards of Distinguished Flying Cross.
48		BoordaJeremy M. Boorda	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001988-08-01-0000August 1988	000000001991-11-01-0000November 1991	Veteran of Vietnam and Bosnian War; Reached the rank of four-star admiral. Served as Chief of Naval Operations or United States Naval Forces Europe. Two awards of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, four awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and one award of Army Distinguished Service Medal.
49		ZlatoperRonald J. Zlatoper	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001991-11-01-0000November 1991	000000001994-07-01-0000July 1994	Veteran of Vietnam and Gulf War; Retired as four-star admiral. Later served as Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet. One award of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, one award of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and three awards of Legion of Merit.
50		BowmanFrank Bowman	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001994-07-01-0000July 1994	000000001996-09-01-0000September 1996	Veteran of Vietnam and Gulf War; Retired as four-star admiral. Also served as Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion. One award of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, one award of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and four awards of Legion of Merit.
51		OliverDaniel T. Oliver	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001996-09-01-0000September 1996	000000001999-11-01-0000November 1999	Veteran of Gulf War; Later served as President of the Naval Postgraduate School. One award of Defense Superior Service Medal, and four awards of Legion of Merit.
52		RyanNorbert R. Ryan Jr.	O-04 Vice admiral	000000001999-11-01-0000November 1999	000000002002-10-01-0000October 2002	Veteran of Gulf War; Twin brother of Vice Admiral John R. Ryan. Two awards of Legion of Merit.
53		HoewingGerald L. Hoewing	O-04 Vice admiral	000000002002-10-01-0000October 2002	000000002005-11-01-0000November 2005	Veteran of Gulf War; Previously served as Commander, Carrier Group Seven. Navy Distinguished Service Medal and four awards of Legion of Merit.
54		HarveyJohn C. Harvey Jr.	O-04 Vice admiral	000000002005-11-01-0000November 2005	000000002008-04-01-0000April 2008	Veteran of Gulf War; Reached the rank of four-star admiral. Later served as Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command. Recipient of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal and five awards of Legion of Merit.
55		FergusonMark E. Ferguson III	O-04 Vice admiral	000000002008-04-01-0000April 2008	000000002011-10-01-0000October 2011	Veteran of Gulf War; Reached the rank of four-star admiral. Later served as Commander-in-Chief, United States Naval Forces Europe. Recipient of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal and three awards of Legion of Merit.
56		Van BuskirkScott R. Van Buskirk	O-04 Vice admiral	000000002011-10-01-0000October 2011	000000002013-08-01-0000August 2013	Veteran of Iraq War; Later served as Commander-in-Chief, United States Seventh Fleet. Recipient of two awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and seven awards of Legion of Merit.
57		MoranWilliam F. Moran	O-04 Vice admiral	000000002013-08-02-0000August 2, 2013	000000002016-05-26-0000May 26, 2016	Veteran of Gulf War; Reached the rank of four-star admiral. Later served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Recipient of two awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and five awards of Legion of Merit.
58		BurkeRobert P. Burke	O-04 Vice admiral	000000002016-05-27-0000May 27, 2016	000000002019-05-23-0000May 23, 2019	Veteran of Gulf War; Reached the rank of four-star admiral. Later served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Recipient of two awards of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and five awards of Legion of Merit.
59		NowellJohn B. Nowell	O-04 Vice admiral	000000002019-05-24-0000May 24, 2019	000000002022-06-03-0000June 3, 2022	Veteran of Gulf War; Previously served as Director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy. Recipient of Navy Distinguished Service Medal, six awards of Legion of Merit and Bronze Star Medal.
60		CheesemanRichard J. Cheeseman Jr.	O-04 Vice admiral	000000002022-06-03-0000June 3, 2022	Incumbent	Previously served as Commander, Carrier Strike Group 10. Recipient of four awards of Legion of Merit and Bronze Star Medal.

See also

• Chief of Naval Operations
• Bureau of Navigation (United States Navy)