What does the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) do?

• A. Oversees private sector defense contractors.
• B. Oversees all Navy and Marine Corps operations, including training, equipping, and organizing.
• C. Commands all ground combat troops.
• D. Leads the National Security Council.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is civilian leadership of the Department of the Navy, responsible for the readiness and administration of the Navy and Marine Corps. The Secretary of the Navy sets policy, approves programs and budgets, and ensures the forces are trained, equipped, and organized to carry out missions. Day-to-day military command stays with the military chain of command under the Secretary of Defense and the combatant commanders, not with the SECNAV personally.

This is why the option describing oversight of all Navy and Marine Corps operations, including training, equipping, and organizing, is the best fit. The other options don’t match the SECNAV’s role: private-sector contractors are managed through broader DoD procurement processes, not direct daily command of operations; ground-troop command is handled by Marine Corps leadership within the joint command structure, not by the SECNAV; and the National Security Council is chaired by the President, not the SECNAV.