President Barack Obama has nominated former Mississippi Gov. Ray Mabus to become the next Secretary of the Navy.
The secretary is the civilian leader of the service and is responsible for a wide range of duties, from recruiting and mobilizing to overseeing the construction and repair of ships, equipment and facilities. Until 1947, along with the Secretary of War (nowadays equivalent service equivalent are the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Air Force), the Secretary of the Navy was a bona fide cabinet officer. In 1947 the services were amalgated and a new cabnet officer above them was created, the Secretary of Defense.
The 60 year old Mabus - who served two years in the Navy as a surface warfare officer from 1970 to 1972 aboard the cruiser USS Little Rock (CG-4) - was earlier considered a possible candidate for Obama's cabinet as secretary of education.
Besides serving as governor of Mississippi (1988-1992), Mabus also served as U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1994-96 under President Bill Clinton.
http://www.navytimes.com/...
With this nomination, President Obama has filled an other high level vacature in his national security staff.
If confirmed by the US Senate, Mabus would serve as the 27th modern Secretary of the Navy (post creation DoD in 1947). Given the recent trend in ship naming, this also almost assures a future USS Mabus. As it has become custom to name navy ships after former Secretaries of the Navy (for instance look at the Arleigh Burke class DDG's).
What do you think of this choice? Does this give Mabus - as a former governor - a leg up to eventually succeed Secretary of Defense Gates?