of the Navy: succession to duties

§ 5036. Secretary of the Navy: succession to duties (a) When there is a vacancy in the Office of Secretary of the Navy, or during the absence or disability of the Secretary, the Under Secretary of the Navy, and, in the order prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy, the Assistant Secretaries of the Navy and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air succeed to the duties of the Secretary. If the Secretary does not prescribe an order for succession to his duties by the Assistant Secretaries and the Assistant Secretary for Air, they succeed to those duties in the order in which they took office as Assistant Secretaries. (b) During the temporary absence of the officials named in subsection (a), the Chief of Naval Operations or, in his absence, the Vice Chief of Naval Operations succeeds to the duties of the Secretary.