You Are Tomorrow; You Are the Navy: We Are Booz Allen

When Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox began his tenure in July 1940, the warring conflicts across the pond that gave rise to World War II underscored his astute estimation: The U.S. Navy’s long under-resourced Washington, DC, headquarters and outposts weren’t battle-ready. Forecasting the need for U.S. involvement in the war, he conceived a proactive plan of action.

Frank phoned two men for whom he held the utmost respect: Edwin “Ed” Booz and James “Jim” Allen. As the former publisher of Chicago’s Daily News, Frank was keenly aware of Booz Allen’s sterling reputation as a premier consulting company. In short order, he invited the partners to the nation’s capital to assist in updating the Navy’s telephone, internal mail, and intelligence systems, among other pressing initiatives.

Though the government had begun hiring outside consultants in greater numbers by the 1940s, Frank’s grand plan required Congressional approval. Upon receiving the green light, the first recommendation Ed and Jim offered was to expand and create a permanent headquarters for the Navy. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt quickly agreed. His handwritten response to their strategic suggestion was straightforward: “I don't want any more temporary buildings in this war.” Like Frank, FDR believed that U.S. involvement in World War II was imminent.

Ed and Jim spent the next months, and most of 1941, inspecting naval yards on the Eastern seaboard. As conflicts escalated overseas, so did the expanding scope of our engagement stateside. To meet this increasing demand, Ed and Jim recruited talent from Booz Allen’s Chicago office to oversee certain initiatives at the Navy’s headquarters. Our team members assisted in the upgrading of outdated phone systems, which supported some 300 operators, and the reorganization of mail distribution efforts. By improving back-office operations and introducing leading-edge technologies, we streamlined workflows.

A review of the Office of Naval Intelligence was also ordered, and we learned that—as with its headquarters—the Navy had not upgraded intelligence operations in years. This inquiry led to Congress also approving Booz Allen to collaborate with Secretary of the Army Robert Patterson. This effort created the Army Service Forces. With our guidance, Robert developed a “war preparation” report that he ironically presented to senior military leaders on the eve of Pearl Harbor.

As the U.S. entered World War II, theory became practice. Within four years, the U.S. Navy doubled in size, becoming the most powerful naval fleet in the world. In 1944, Frank told Forbes magazine that the Navy had never spent money “more effectively” than it did in hiring Booz Allen. In time, each department within the Navy included an advisor from the company. By embedding ourselves in the bureaucracy, we made the Navy’s mission our mission. Together, we achieved results more quickly than initially thought possible.

Over the decades, we have continued to demonstrate our unique ability to support governmental agencies on national security issues. We deliver innovative solutions that help our clients safeguard the nation from ever-evolving threats.

Almost 85 years after our first engagement with the Navy, our relationship is coming full circle.

“You see what they were facing back then in the 1940s,” said Jennie Brooks, executive vice president of Booz Allen’s Navy-Marine Corps account. “One could argue that it’s some of what we’re also facing today as we look across the globe and look at what’s happening. And so the imperative to drive innovation, ideation—to help accelerate solutions and support of our Navy client requirements—remains the same, just as it did all those years ago.”

Since 1940, Booz Allen has been a strategic partner to the United States Navy, embracing its motto: Honor, Courage, and Commitment.