Title 10Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§8036 Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle C— - Navy and Marine Corps › Part PART I— - ORGANIZATION › Chapter CHAPTER 805— - OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS › § 8036

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Navy must choose active-duty Navy officers above the rank of captain to serve as Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. The Secretary decides how many Deputy Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs there are, but together they may be no more than eight. Deputy Chiefs work under the Chief of Naval Operations and run their assigned divisions. Any orders they give while doing those jobs are treated as if the Chief of Naval Operations gave them.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §8036

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)There are Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, detailed by the Secretary of the Navy from officers on the active-duty list of the Navy serving in grades above captain. The Secretary of the Navy shall prescribe the number of Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations under this section and Assistant Chiefs of Naval Operations under section 8037 of this title, for a total of not more than eight positions.
(b)The Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations are charged, under the direction of the Chief of Naval Operations, with the execution of the functions of their respective divisions. Orders issued by the Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations in performing the duties assigned them are considered as coming from the Chief of Naval Operations.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 5086 of this title prior to enactment of Pub. L. 99–433. A prior section 8036 was renumbered section 9036 of this title.

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–232, § 807(a)(1), renumbered section 5036 of this title as this section. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–232, § 809(a), substituted “section 8037” for “section 5037”. 2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–181 substituted “There are Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations,” for “There are in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations not more than five Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations,” and inserted at end “The Secretary of the Navy shall prescribe the number of Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations under this section and Assistant Chiefs of Naval Operations under section 5037 of this title, for a total of not more than eight positions.” 2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–375 struck out “in the line” after “active-duty list”.

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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 8036

Title 10Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73