How the U.S. Navy Works

The largest Navy ships are aircraft carriers. More like floating cities than just ships, each aircraft carrier literally has its own zip code. Including the more than 2,000 airmen needed to fly the carrier’s air wing, the crew of a carrier numbers about 5,500. Nimitz-class carriers are the largest ships in the world; they are 1,092 feet long with a displacement of 97,000 tons fully loaded [source: The U.S. Navy]. There are a total of 13 carriers in active service.

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS George Washington (CVN 73) and USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) conduct an ammunition transfer between ships.

Cruisers are large multi-purpose ships, often equipped with advanced missile systems (AEGIS). All 22 Navy cruisers are Ticonderoga-class vessels, guided missile cruisers named after Ft. Ticonderoga. Cruisers can act in support roles (as part of a carrier group or amphibious assault group, for example) or as flagships of their own action groups [source: The U.S. Navy].

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy The guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) departs Naval Station Mayport's Basin for routine work-up training off the coast of Florida.

Destroyers are smaller, versatile ships that rely on speed and maneuverability. All modern destroyers (there are more than 50 of them) are of the Arleigh Burke class. Guided missile destroyers are built around an integrated missile guidance system and multi-function phased array radar. Named after a naval hero of World War II and the Korean War, he was the Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration.

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Russell DDG 59, left, and USS Shoup DDG 86.

Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates are mainly used as escorts for shipping. This is type of general-purpose escort vessel named after Oliver Hazard Perry, a naval hero during the War of 1812. He is famously quoted saying “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy USS Kauffman steams with the Abraham Lincoln Battle Group on a regularly scheduled deployment conducting combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Submarines can operate covertly beneath the surface of the ocean. The Navy uses submarines as missile firing platforms and to attack enemy surface vessels, and they can also be used for covert surveillance.

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy Attack submarine USS Virginia (SSN 774) is covered in snow and moored to the pier at Submarine Base New London.

Amphibious Assault Ships come in a variety of forms and sizes – they are used to extend the Navy’s reach from the sea onto land. Very often, the troops sent to fight on land by an amphibious assault ship are Marines.

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy An amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) makes its way toward amphibious transport dock USS Juneau (LPD 10).

Battleships are huge, heavily armed ships that can bombard shorelines and inflict massive damage on enemy ships. As of 2007, the United States does not have any active duty battleships.

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy The battleship USS Wisconsin (BB 64) lies in its birth along the Elizabeth River at the maritime museum Nauticus, in downtown Norfolk, Va.

In addition to their ships, the Navy uses a variety of aircraft for transport and combat. A key requirement for many Navy aircraft is that they have the capability to operate from the deck of an aircraft carrier. This means they must be able to take off and land in a relatively short distance (although steam catapults and cable-and-hook arrest systems help). For fighter aircraft, the Navy relies heavily on the F/A-18.

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy The USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned ship afloat, in Boston Harbor.

The Navy has been heavily involved in every American military conflict, and has contributed to many humanitarian and peacekeeping missions. On December 7, 1941, Navy ships were the target of one of the worst military attacks on U.S. soil when Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The Navy has also relied upon a partially civilian corps of engineers, known as the SeaBees, to construct airstrips and other infrastructure crucial to military missions. The SeaBees have built schools, hospitals and power plants throughout the developing world.

Photo courtesy of The National Archives Pearl Harbor under siege, December 7, 1941.

In 1945, at the peak of World War II, the Navy had a historic high of 3.4 million personnel. Today, the Navy performs its job with about 350,000 personnel [source: The Naval Historical Center]. Navy modernization efforts are focused on making their ships more efficient, allowing them to operate with greatly reduced crew compliments. This will reduce the lifetime operating costs of Navy ships (when you calculate the cost to pay, train, and provide benefits for sailors) by billions of dollars [source: The U.S. Navy.

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy A recruit division sings as they successfully complete the final leg of a Battle Stations drill.

Anyone wishing to become an officer in the Navy (and possibly captain a ship someday) has several options. The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland is a four-year undergraduate college that prepares graduates to work as officers in the Navy. This is a prestigious and challenging program that requires a Congressional nomination to apply. Potential officers can also attend Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida. This 13-week course is more rigorous than boot camp, and requires recruits to hold a degree before acceptance.

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy Newly commissioned officers celebrate at the U.S. Naval Academy class of 2005 graduation and commissioning ceremony.

Once past their initial training, recruits may attend a technical school or take part in the Journeyman Program. This places each Navy recruit with more experienced sailors in a variety of ratings to learn various Navy tasks first hand.

The focus of Navy life, of course, is living and working on a ship. The standard Navy ship deployment lasts for six months; however, the Navy is experimenting with deployments shorter or longer than six months to make them more flexible and less predictable. Needless to say, living for six months or more with several hundred people on a ship means close quarters and a lot of patience and camaraderie. The circumstances also require complete, unwavering loyalty and obedience to the ship’s captain, whose authority on his or her ship is absolute.

There is a great deal of work to be done at any given time on a Navy ship, so sailors are kept busy. Even so, limited recreational activities are provided – one famous example was the “Reagan Idol” singing competition held on the USS Ronald Reagan that landed the winner on the actual American Idol TV show in 2007. In addition, every sailor gets 30 days of leave each year. They can fly for free on a stand-by basis on any Navy flight and most other military flights [source: The U.S. Navy].

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy Intelligence Specialist 2nd Class Jarrod Fowler performs during the Ronald Reagan Idol talent competition, March 26, 2006.

Women play an important role in the modern Navy – their progress toward equal treatment and pay mirrored the equal rights movement in the United States. In 1976, Congress ordered that women be allowed to enter the Naval Academy. However, a 1948 law prevented women from serving on most Navy ships. This was overturned in 1978, and women have been serving their country aboard Navy vessels ever since. In addition, women were cleared for air combat duty in the 1990s, and now serve in that respect as well [source: PBS].

Photo courtesy of The U.S. Navy Lt. Renee Scherr, assigned to Commander Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Pacific, speaks to a group of 5th grade girls during a career day at Meridian Elementary School.

As members of a U.S. military organization, all Navy personnel are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Dismissal from the Navy can take a variety of forms, from an honorable discharge to a court martial, depending on the circumstances surrounding the dismissal. See How the Army Works for a full explanation.

Navy veterans and retirees are eligible for a host of benefits ranging from burial in state cemeteries, health and life insurance, low-interest loans for mortgages or small businesses, and veterans’ health care. The full suite of benefits available may depend on the nature of the veteran’s dismissal – usually an honorable discharge or retirement is necessary for access to all benefits. A search for answers to specific questions about veterans’ benefits begins here: The National Archives.

For lots more information on the Navy and related topics, check out the links on the following page.