Navy to nominate three-star for CNO

[Recursion]

Source: Defense News

Navy Secretary Richard Spencer will nominate the three-star former head of Navy’s Cyber Command to become the 32nd chief of naval operations, a deep selection for the sea service’s top officer unseen since 1970.

Three sources told Defense News that Vice Adm. Michael Gilday, the Director of the Joint Staff since March 1, will be promoted over his four-star colleagues, who will stay at their current commands.

He’ll succeed Adm. John Richardson, whose tenure was marked by a steadfast push to modernize and toughen the Navy in an era of great power competition as well as twin guided-missile destroyer collisions that killed 17 sailors in 2017 and the ongoing “Fat Leonard” public corruption scandal that gutted a generation of high-ranking officers serving in the Japan-based 7th Fleet.

Gilday, 56, and other Navy leaders met with President Donald J. Trump late Wednesday and received his blessing, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Read more: https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2019/07/11/navy-to-recommend-three-star-former-cyber-command-chief-to-be-its-top-officer/

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Holy shit. Nobody is willing to take that job right now.

[secondwind]

1. The article says that the 4-star are being "skipped over"

This is highly unusual.

[Recursion]

2. 10 officers are being superceded

This is pretty much unprecedented. He's not even the most-senior 3 star.

[brush]

4. A promotion to 4-star must be coming. Can't imagine a boss having to salute...

a subordinate.

[Recursion]

5. The billet brings no points with it

This is really kind of awkward

[ripcord]

6. It has happened before

During WW2 army Chief of Staff Marshall was in fact outranked MacArthur.

[DeminPennswoods]

9. That's what "deep selected" means

You are eligible for promotion, but very junior on the list. I saw it happen a few times with mid-career officers when working for DoD.

[pecosbob]

3. A bit surprised they didn't appoint Robert Gilbeau

now out of Leavenworth and still collecting his $10K pension. He seems like their type of guy.

[Sgent]

7. I'm sorry

but going this deep and they couldn't even get a line commander? A CNO who has never been in charge of a naval fleet?

[nitpicker]

8. He actually had some sea assignments

https://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=605

(snip)
At sea, he deployed with USS Chandler (DDG 996), USS Princeton (CG 59), and USS Gettysburg (CG 64). He commanded the destroyers USS Higgins (DDG 76) and USS Benfold (DDG 65) and subsequently, commanded Destroyer Squadron 7, serving as sea combat commander for the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group.

As a flag officer, he served as commander Carrier Strike Group 8 embarked aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and as commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S 10th Fleet.
(snip)