The Navy has reclassified six flag officer positions as civilian roles, part of a broader effort to align with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive to reduce senior military leadership and expand civilian oversight. The service identified 14 flag officer billets for change, with six slated for conversion to civilian posts, two to be downgraded to captain, and the remainder to be merged or eliminated. Nearly all of the newly civilian positions are currently filled by acting or appointed officials. Director of the Navy staff, N09B, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Matthew Swartz, a civilian, assumed the role in April after being appointed by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle. Swartz also serves as executive director for the CNO. The director of Naval Intelligence, N2, was reestablished in May following the disestablishment of OPNAV N2/N6, with Steve Parode, a retired rear admiral, appointed to lead it while retaining additional titles. Civilian Jennifer Edgin was named to the newly created assistant deputy chief of naval operations for Information Warfare Requirements and Capabilities, N6N9C. Rear Adm. Susan Bryer Joyner now leads the director of Information Warfare, N99, position. The director of Navy culture and force resilience, N17, is currently held by Paul Rosen in an acting capacity, following Rear Adm. Jay Clark’s transition to command Strike Group 1 in May. Chief engineer Thomas Fu assumed the role in September, succeeding Rachel Riley, a former DOGE employee who held the position from October 2025 after her tenure at Health and Human Services. Riley replaced Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus, as reported by Politico. The commander of Naval Sea Systems Command, SEA-05, remains under Rear Adm. Pete Small, who also serves as acting NAVSEA commander. Of the six targeted billets, only this position is not currently civilian-held. The roles slated for downgrade to captain include Commander of the Naval Legal Service Command, currently led by Rear Adm. Damian Flatt; the assistant deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting development, N7B; the director of N3/N5/N7 at U.S. Fleet Forces Command, held by Rear Adm. Cassidy Norman; and commanders of the Naval Medical Forces Support Command, My Navy Career Center, Submarine Group Two, and others, some of which have unclear staffing. The Navy merged three of the 14 billets: Plans, Policy and Integration, N5, with assistant deputy chief for Operations, Plans, and Strategy, N3/N5B; combined the program executive officer for Undersea Warfare Systems with AUKUS initiatives; and integrated the chief of test at Naval Air Systems Command with the chief engineer role. In October, the service added a new deputy chief of naval operations for sustainment, filled by Vice Adm. Scott Gray. As of July 2026, the Navy had 10 admirals, 30 vice admirals, 53 rear admirals (upper half), and 114 rear admirals (lower half). Over the past five years, the total number of admirals has remained relatively stable, though the count of rear admirals (lower half) has reached a five-year high of 114, while upper half numbers have declined to a five-year low of 53. The service did not provide comment in response to inquiries about the changes.