Navy personnel boss chosen for vice chief

Chief of Naval Personnel, Vice Adm. Bill Moran has been nominated for a fourth star and has been named, pending the approval of Congress, to replace Adm. Michelle Howard as the vice chief of naval operations, pending cCongressional approval.

Howard is is expected to be nominated for come U.S. Naval Forces Europe, but has yet to be formally nominated for the post. 

Moran, the current chief of naval personnel took over as the Navy’s top uniformed personnel officer just as the Navy manpower structure was suffering from from the fallout from the 2011 enlisted retention boards, which forced out nearly 3,000 mid-career sailors and increased anxiety for everyone else.and personnel hangover caused in part by 2011’s Enlisted Retention Boards. 

The cascading effects of the ERB, which number among them overshooting the drawdown and exacerbating manning gaps at sea, set  When he took over in 2013, Moran's set his early agenda was to in the job as one of re-establishing trust with the rank and file on the deckplates.

Since then, Moran has overhauled the Meritorious Advancement Program, delivered a special pay for sailors serving on long deployments, and eased body fat rules. Moran has made it a signature to delegate more personnel decisions to Navy commands, and his initiatives like loosening the tattoo rules have been hailed inside the service for their common sense. and In the past year, he’s overseen some very popular "common sense" moves that have involved loosening tattoo rules and saving commanding officer the right to meritoriously advance their top sailors. Pushing as many personnel decisions down to the command level has been a common theme of many initiatives throughout his time as CNP. 

The officer named to take his place is Getting the nod to relieve Moran as CNP is Rear Adm. Robert P. Burke, a career submariner currently serving as one of Moran's deputies. Burke has directed the is currently one of Moran’s deputies, serving as director of  Moran’s director, military personnel plans and policy division since August. If confirmed to his new post, Burke will don a third star., a position he’s held since last summer. 

A native of Portage, Michigan, Burke has commanded Burke commanded the Norfolk-based fast-attack submarine Hampton and later was commodore of Submarine Development Squadron 12 in Groton, Connecticut. 

While in command, Burke received the was the recipient of the United States Submarine League’s with the Jack Darby Award for Leadership for 2004, and the following year was awarded the Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Award for Inspirational Leadership, which is regarded as the fleet's top leadership prize.