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Part of U.S. Fleet Forces Command's mission set is to serve as the naval component of the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM). The command provides naval forces to support homeland defense and civil support operations in the Northern Command area of responsibility, which includes North America, Mexico, and the surrounding waterways. U.S. Fleet Forces Command works closely with other military branches and agencies to ensure the security and defense of the region.
The rank is an appointed one, and goes with the position they're appointed into. The requirement is that they be an Admiral of lower rank before being appointed. By U.S. law, there is a specific cap on the number of active duty Navy flag officers who can serve at any one time, which is 216. Of that number, only 16% can be of 2-Star rank, and of those 16%, only 25% of them can be appointed to 4-Star positions. That equates to 9 4-Star Admirals toward the cap limit.They must be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Admiral cap includes the Coast Guard, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Commissioned Corps for purposes of the total number of 4-Star Admirals.There are several positions that are reserved by law for 4-Star Admirals that count toward the cap limit:Chief of Naval OperationsVice Chief of Naval OperationsDirector, Naval Nuclear Propulsion (Office of Naval Reactors)Commandant of the Coast GuardPublic Health Service Commissioned Corps (Assistant Secretary of Health, if appointed by the President)There are positions that Admirals can be appointed to that rate 4 Stars, but don't count toward the overall cap limit (e.g, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Director of the CIA, Joint Commands). This is why the current number (as of February 2010) of 4-Star Admirals on active duty is 10 for the Navy, with one Vice Admiral currently in the middle of the appointment / confirmation process for promotion to 4-Star rank. They are:1. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) - ADM Michael G. Mullen2. Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) - ADM Gary Roughead3. Vice Chief of Naval Operations (VCNO) - ADM Jonathan W. Greenert4. Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion - ADM Kirkland H. Donald5. Commander, U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) andSupreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) - ADM James G. Stavridis6. Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFLTFORCOM) - ADM John C. Harvey, Jr.7. Commander, U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) - ADM Robert F. Willard8. Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) - ADM Eric T. Olson9. Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe (USNAVEUR) -Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa (USNAVAF) andCommander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples (JFC Naples)- ADM Mark P. Fitzgerald10. Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) - ADM Patrick M. WalshNominated and Pending Senate Confirmation -Commander, U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) andCommander, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) - VADM James A. Winnefeld, Jr.It should be noted that like anything in the military or government, the cap limit can be exceed in times of war or emergency should the President deem it necessary.