Vice Chief of Naval Operations
The vice chief of naval operations is the second highest-ranking commissioned United [States Navy] officer and functions as the principal deputy of the chief of naval operations. By statute, the vice chief is appointed as a four-star admiral.
Role
The senior leadership of the U.S. Department of the Navy consists of two civilians, the secretary of the Navy and the under secretary of the Navy, as well as the four senior commissioned officers on the two military service staffs: Office of the [Chief of Naval Operations] and Headquarters Marine Corps.The vice chief is the principal deputy of the chief of Naval operations. The vice chief may also perform other delegated duties that either the secretary of the Navy or the CNO assigns to him or her. If the CNO is absent or is unable to perform their duties, then the vice chief assumes the duties and responsibilities of the CNO. Within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, while there are several Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations of either three or two star rank, there is only one VCNO.
The vice chief is appointed by the president of [the United States], and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. While there is not a fixed term nor a term limit in the statute; the historical precedent is that a vice chief of naval operations serves for a tenure of two to three years.