Inspired by apparent contrasts between strategic guidance, current employment practices, and the supporting organizational framework, this work analyzes the extent the United States Navy should allow the principle of dispersion or the principle of concentration to influence its structure and operational practices. The Navy's current operational practices developed over the last two and half centuries. From this history, an operational framework emerged that favors concentration as the normal mode of issuing and deploying naval assets. Today, fiscal constraints and high operational tempo exert pressure on this framework by demanding increased global presence without proportionally increasing the size of the fleet. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.