Nearly every career Marine officer dreams of one day becoming commandant, a position second only to God in the Corps' pecking order. But Mr. Rumsfeld may want to keep Gen. Pace in his current post, where he has the special responsibility of overseeing the war on terrorism on a day-to-day basis.

Naval air power
As the Navy works on integrating Marine and Navy tactical air squadrons and braces for an explosion in weapons costs in 2007 and beyond, a few decisions already have been made inside the Pentagon.

Our sources say the Navy plans to accelerate procurement of the F-18 Super Hornet. The service also wants to speed up development of the EA-18 Growler, which will replace the aging and overworked EA-6B Prowler electronic-warfare aircraft.

On the readiness front, the Navy has achieved its flight-hour training goals for pilots for the first time in 10 years. This is a result of Adm. Vern Clark, chief of naval operations, making improved combat readiness his chief goal.

Legal readiness
Elaine Donnelly, who heads the Center for Military Readiness, believes one reason she is being sued for libel by a former Navy combat pilot is to put her group out of business.

Last week, Mrs. Donnelly won a major victory in the 6-year-old suit. A federal judge dismissed the case, ruling the former pilot, Carey Dunai Lohrenz, was a public figure and, as such, was not libeled by Mrs. Donnelly's claim that she received special treatment in F-14 fighter qualifications.

Still, Mrs. Donnelly expects an appeal and more legal bills. To date, the fees have topped $500,000. She says she has paid every bill as it comes, thanks to more than 3,000 supporters, many of them retired or active-duty military people, who have contributed to her defense fund.

Job switch
Paul Schneider, a longtime figure in Navy weapons procurement, is leaving the sea service for a post at the National Security Agency, the nation's electronic eavesdropper.

Mr. Schneider rose from an engineering job at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in 1965 to the No. 2 Navy civilian overseeing procurement, as its principal deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition (RDA).

Navy headquarters is navigating choppy waters these days. Navy Secretary Gordon England has ordered a streamlining of the bureaucracy, and part of the plan calls for eliminating all deputy positions, such as Mr. Schneider's.

A Navy document said he was to get a new job. "Paul Schneider will take direct responsibility for the critical budget and strategic planning functions of the RDA as these are two cross functional areas where his experience and talents can be brought to maximum use," the planning document says.

But a Navy official said Mr. Schneider chose not to take this new job. In October, he will become the senior acquisition executive at NSA.

In an e-mail to colleagues, Mr. Schneider said, "The recent SecNav-directed reorganization has resulted in a situation whereby I would be better professionally doing something else outside the Department of Navy I want to express my sincere thanks for all of your support throughout the years and especially the last four years that I have been in this position. You have made this truly a wonderful experience."