The vitality of the Navy and its real strength is found today as always in he men who build, man and operate its fleets and its Shore Establishment and who manage and direct its destiny from the control post of the Navy Department. Neither the will to do nor the ability to perform today is sufficient, however, to develop the application of this strength thus adequately to discharge the myriad responsibilities imposed on the Navy by world conditions. A flexible, sound organization is essential for that purpose. Of equal importance is that knowledge and understanding of the organization be firm in the minds of its personnel, and that the individual's place in the scheme of things be fixed and identified. This publication has been prepared and aimed to provide this essential knowledge briefly and understandably, and is commended to the attention of all hands for this express purpose. لله John Sullivan Secretary of the Navy. 024 PREFACE While the demand for competence placed on the officers and men of to7's Navy is, as in the past, primarily for fighting excellence, the ever inasing importance of industry in the total warfare of the present requires plification of their training and experience to include skills in business orization and administration. Knowledge of the over-all organization of the United States Navy, includ; familiarity with the relationships existing among its component parts, is essential requisite in providing this additional competence. It is with that thought foremost that this publication has been revised and de current. I regard it as required reading on the part of naval officers, and commend its study on the part of all others having the Navy at interest. Soin's Denfels Chief of Naval Operations. |