The Senate confirmed 22 Navy captains for promotion to rear admiral last week, according to two separate notifications posted on the Senate Armed Services Committee website.
On Monday, Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer announced the new rear admirals through an ALNAV notice issued by the Navy’s Personnel Command.
The ALNAV was the first Navy notification of a flag officer nomination since December, when the Pentagon’s press office announced Vice Adm. James Malloy was taking over command of U.S. 5th Fleet following the sudden death of Vice Adm. Scott Stearney. Before Monday, the most recent ALNAV announcing a flag officer promotion was released on July 11, 2018. The Navy, through the Pentagon press office, had been regularly releasing flag officer nominations ahead of Senate approval, but that practice changed in October.
Since the start of Fiscal Year 2019, the Navy has submitted to the Senate a total of 59 flag officer promotion nominations, according to Senate records, but has not publicly announced those nominations the way the service used to. In previous years, the Navy routinely announced such pending flag officer promotions and their future positions through the Pentagon’s press office or ALNAV notices.
“The Navy is currently reviewing the timing associated with the public notification process for all boards and assignments including Flag Officer nominations,” Capt. Amy Derrick, the spokesperson for the Chief of Naval Personnel, told USNI News.
Derrick did not provide USNI News with an explanation of why the Navy is reevaluating how it disseminates flag officer nominations to the fleet. The Navy intends to continue issuing formal ALNAVs once nominees are confirmed, Derrick said. Unlike past announcements, Monday’s ALNAV does not include future duty assignments.
Among the flag officers still awaiting Senate confirmation is Rear Adm. Ron Boxall. Last week, Boxall was nominated for promotion to vice admiral, according to a notice posted by the Senate. Pending his Senate confirmation, USNI News understands Boxall is in line to become the next director for Force Structure, Resources and Assessment (J8) for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Navy has not issued a formal notice of Boxall’s nomination.
In contrast, the Air Force and Marine Corps, through the Pentagon’s press office, continue releasing the names of general officers nominated for promotions and their next duty assignments pending Senate approval. The Army releases similar information about its general officers, but after Senate confirmation.
The following is the March 4, 2019 ALNAV notification for the promotions.
ALNAV 020/19
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/MAR//
SUBJ/FY-20 REAR ADMIRAL (LOWER HALF) LINE AND STAFF CORPS SELECTIONS//
RMKS/1. The President of the United States has approved the reports of the
selection boards which recommend the following officers in the Line and Staff
Corps on the active duty list for promotion to the permanent grade of Rear
Admiral (Lower Half).
2. Frocking to Rear Admiral (Lower Half) is not authorized except on an
individual basis by the Secretary of Defense. Frocking, when authorized,
will follow Senate confirmation.
—–Unrestricted Line—–
Anderson Jeffrey T.
Barnett, Stephen D.
Baze, Michael W.
Brophy, Richard T., Jr.
Carullo, Anthony C.
Chadwick, Robert B. II
Czerewko, Jeffrey J.
Donnelly, Michael P.
Engdahl, Christopher M.
Gaucher, Robert M.
Martin, Daniel P.
Menoni, John V.
Renshaw, Curt A.
Robertson, Scott F.
Sands, Milton J. III
Spedero, Paul C., Jr.
Sweeney, Christopher J.
Williams, Jeromy B.
—–Acquisition Line Community—–
Brown, Scott M.
Moton, Casey J.
Tedford, Stephen R.
Verhage, Eric H.
3. Released by the Honorable Richard V. Spencer, Secretary of the Navy.
