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INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC

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NAVADMIN 166/20

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FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//DNS//
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//DNS//

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/DNS/JUN//

SUBJ/ESTABLISHMENT OF DEPUTY CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS (DCNO) FOR WARFIGHTING 
DEVELOPMENT (OPNAV N7)//

REF/A/DOC/EDUCATION FOR SEAPOWER (E4S) STUDY REPORT/DEC 2018//
REF/B/DOC/SECNAV/5FEB2019//
REF/C/DOC/DESIGN FOR MAINTAINING MARITIME SUPERIORITY 2.0/DEC 2018//
REF/D/DOC/VCNO/13AUG2019//
REF/E/DOC/FRAGO 01-2019/DEC 2019//
REF/F/DOC OPNAVNOTE 5430/DNS/15MAY2020//

AMPN/REF A IS RESPONSE TO THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY-DIRECTED COMPREHENSIVE 
REVIEW OF NAVAL EDUCATION.  REF B IS ACTION MEMO IMPLEMENTING E4S REPORT 
RECOMMENDATIONS. REF C IS 2018 NAVY STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE. REF D 
IS THE OPNAV N7 TERMS OF REFERENCE. REF E IS CNO GILDAY SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDANCE 
TO REF C. REF F MODIFIES THE OPNAV STAFF ORGANIZATION TO ESTABLISH DCNO N7.// 
POC/KEVIN BRAND/CAPT/LOC: WASHINGTON DC/EMAIL:
kevin.m.brand@navy.mil/TEL: COMM: (703) 692-5146//

RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN announces the formal establishment of the Deputy Chief 
of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development (DCNO N7).  DCNO N7 is 
charged with advancing Navy Warfighting advantage in order to deter, dissuade 
and deny, or defeat adversaries.  N7?s mission and functions follow three 
broad, interrelated lines of effort: warfighter development, warfare 
development, and warfighting corps development.  Specifically, N7:
    a.  Establishes and maintains the Navy?s strategy and communicates it 
with a single voice to internal and external audiences;
    b.  Ensures that strategy guides navy-wide processes including CNO 
guidance to the POM, concept development, and the development of material and 
non -material solutions to our key operational problems;
    c.  Aligns the Naval education enterprise with strategy, improves how the 
navy utilizes its flagship educational institutions, and selectively tailors 
employment of its most academically successful personnel;
    d.  Advances warfighting development more quickly and effectively through 
wargames, exercises, experiments, tests, and studies;
    e.  Empowers individuals to provide their insights and discoveries to 
drive necessary change; and
    f.  Ensures a supply of warrior-scholars, leaders who are both superb 
warfighters and exceptional thinkers, to advance future warfighting 
development for the navy.

2.  Background.  In April 2018, the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) 
commissioned a comprehensive review (reference (a)) of all department of the 
Navy education efforts.  In response to the findings and recommendations, the 
SECNAV directed the department to make its educational institutions directly 
relevant to the achievement of warfighting advantage (reference (b)).  In 
support, CNO recommended (reference (c)) and SECNAV directed the creation of 
a new three -star led organization in the Office of the Chief of Naval 
Operations (OPNAV) to focus naval education on warfighting.  Reference (d) 
articulated a vision for the roles and missions of the new DCNO position.  In 
December 2019, CNO Gilday further directed that DCNO N7 should improve our 
ability to develop warrior scholars, warfighting ideas, and deliver 
warfighting advantage (reference (e)).

3.  Reference (f) formally codified the establishment of the DCNO for 
Warfighting Development (N7) as an OPNAV principal official, effective 25 
October 2019, with VADM Stuart B. Munsch assuming duties as DCNO N7.

4.  The new N7 directorate is composed of the following divisions, with codes 
and functions as noted:
    a.  N71 (Warfighter Development), with lines of effort (LOE) for 
education strategy and policy, fellowship and scholarship management, and 
educational institution fiscal management.
    b.  N72 (Warfare Development), with LOEs for analytics, strategy, 
doctrine and concepts, and investment alignment.
    c.  N73 (Strategic Warfighting Innovation Cell), manned by hand-picked, 
highly qualified active-duty and reserve-component officers (O4 through O6), 
civilian equivalents, and select enlisted personnel, nominated and detailed 
to run a framework focused on addressing the Navy?s most pressing operational 
problems.
    d.  N74 (Warfighting Integration), overseeing the navy strategy panel to 
ensure our competitive posture and strategic alignment.

5.  N7 has established a number of online venues to facilitate a 
collaborative network where motivated stakeholders can both learn about N7?s 
organization, lines of effort, and actively participate in ground breaking 
work focused on solving key operational problems.  You are invited to join 
the conversation; communicate and collaborate with the team; and become part 
of the solution.  Connect with us at one of the following initial entry 
points.
    a.  On SIPR:  https://intelshare.intelink.sgov.gov/sites/dcnodwo/
    b.  On NIPR:  https://portal.secnav.navy.mil/orgs/opnav/N7/
    c.  On the N7 public web page: https://www.navy.mil/local/opnavn7

6.  Questions, suggestions, and further information can be obtained by 
contacting opnav_n7_pao.fct@navy.mil.

7.  As the Navy and the nation enters a renewed era of great power 
competition against potential peer adversaries, maintaining and accelerating 
our warfighting advantage will require solving a number of key operational 
problems (kops)/challenges.  These challenges span the full spectrum of 
conflict, from day-to-day competition to lethal combat.  The DCNO N7 
organization will enhance individual learning; accelerate institutional 
learning; and broaden and deepen our warfighting knowledge.  Together, this 
will maintain our warfighting advantage ensuring that we can outthink and 
outfight any adversary.

8.  Released By Mr. Andrew S. Haeuptle, Director, Navy Staff.//

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