Title 10Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§8020 Naval Inspector General: detail; duties

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle C— - Navy and Marine Corps › Part PART I— - ORGANIZATION › Chapter CHAPTER 803— - DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY › § 8020

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates an Office of the Naval Inspector General inside the Secretary of the Navy's office. The Naval Inspector General must be an active-duty line officer in a rank higher than captain. When ordered, the Naval Inspector General must investigate and report on anything that affects Navy discipline or military readiness. They must carry out inspections and investigations the Secretary of the Navy or the Chief of Naval Operations directs. They must work fully with the Department of Defense Inspector General on duties under chapter 4 of title 5 that involve the Navy. They must also regularly propose inspection programs to the Secretary and recommend extra inspections or investigations when needed.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §8020

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)There is in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy the Office of the Naval Inspector General. The Naval Inspector General shall be detailed from officers on the active-duty list in the line of the Navy serving in grades above captain.
(b)The Naval Inspector General, when directed, shall inquire into and report upon any matter that affects the discipline or military efficiency of the Department of the Navy. He shall make such inspections, investigations, and reports as the Secretary of the Navy or the Chief of Naval Operations directs.
(c)The Naval Inspector General shall cooperate fully with the Inspector General of the Department of Defense in connection with the performance of any duty or function by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense under chapter 4 of title 5 regarding the Department of the Navy.
(d)The Naval Inspector General shall periodically propose programs of inspections to the Secretary of the Navy and shall recommend additional inspections and investigations as may appear appropriate.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 5088(a), (b), (c)5 U.S.C. 423f.Mar. 5, 1948, ch. 98, § 6, 62 Stat. 68. 5088(d)5 U.S.C. 423k (as applicable to the Naval Inspector General).Mar. 5, 1948, ch. 98, § 11, 62 Stat. 69 (as applicable to the Naval Inspector General). In subsection (a) the words “In addition to the divisions herein created” are omitted as surplusage. The word “detailed” is added in order to show that the position of the Inspector General is not an appointive office. In subsection (c) the words “from time to time” are omitted as surplusage. Subsection (d) is worded to make clear that the Naval Inspector General may be designated, under 34 U.S.C. 211d, as an officer who performs unusual or special duty, and, if so designated, is entitled to the grade, pay, and retirement privilege accompanying the special designation. The words “under section 5231 of this title” are substituted for the words “grade, rank, pay, and allowances provided under any provision of law heretofore or hereafter enacted which authorizes such grade, rank, pay, and allowances for officers so designated”.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 8020 was renumbered section 9020 of this title. A prior section 8021 was renumbered section 9021 of this title. Another prior section 8021 was renumbered section 10305 of this title.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “chapter 4 of title 5” for “the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App. 3)”. 2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 5020 of this title as this section. 1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–433, § 511(c)(5)(A), substituted “Office of the Secretary of Navy” for “Office of the Chief of Naval Operations”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–433, § 511(c)(5)(B), (C), added subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–433, § 511(c)(5)(B), redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d) and substituted “Secretary of the Navy” for “Chief of Naval Operations”. 1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–513, § 503(7)(A), substituted “active-duty list” for “active list”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 96–513, § 503(7)(B), struck out subsec. (d) which authorized the President to designate the Naval Inspector General as an officer who performs special or unusual duty or duty of great importance and responsibility under section 5231 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of

Amendments

and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1980 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 96–513 effective Sept. 15, 1981, see section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 8020

Title 10Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73