WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement applauding Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao’s decision to assign a one-star Reserve Flag Officer to Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Crane no later than October 1, 2026.
A one-star Reserve Flag Officer is a senior commander in the naval reserves in the Navy or Coast Guard, who holds the rank of Rear Admiral (lower half). They are a “flag officer,” meaning their rank is high enough to fly a personal flag on a ship or headquarters.
A one-star Reserve Flag Officer serves as a vital bridge between operational active-duty commands and the reserve components, which make up a significant portion of the total military force. Responsibilities include:
- Strategic Oversight: Directing large-scale reserve operations, personnel management, and specialized programs across various commands.
- Integration: Ensuring reserve sailors, ships, and units are trained, equipped, and ready to seamlessly integrate with active-duty forces during global operations or national emergencies.
- Leadership: Overseeing major commands or specific operational task forces. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Rank and Structure
- Pay Grade: O-7.
- Titles: In the United States Navy and Coast Guard, this rank is known as Rear Admiral (lower half). Historically, some O-7 officers held the title of Commodore.
- Insignia: Wears an insignia consisting of a single silver star.
- Equivalency: Equivalent to a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, or Air Force.
Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said, “This is the most significant expansion of NWS Crane since its creation. It will bring game-changing new authorities and manpower to our state and further cement Indiana as the heart of America’s hypersonic enterprise. I’m proud to have helped secure this major win for Indiana and grateful to Secretary Hegseth and Acting Secretary Cao for advancing Crane’s indispensable role in supporting America’s national defense.”
This position will be responsible for integrating the Navy’s Nuclear Sea Launch Cruise Missile (SLCM-N) and Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) weapons systems onto surface ships and submarines. It will initially report to the director, Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE), Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) in Washington, DC.
Last July, Senator Banks met with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to advocate for a one-star position at Crane and sent a letter requesting that the Department of War relocate the Navy Director, Regional Strike Systems, Navy Strategic Systems Programs (Navy SSP), and its subordinate program offices to NWS Crane in southern Indiana.
Naval Weapons Station Crane is the 3rd largest Navy installation in the world. With over 6,000 highly skilled employees and contractors, Crane includes tenant Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane (NSWC Crane), America’s leader in hypersonic weapons, microelectronics, air and missile defense, and electronic warfare.
