Final answer:
Award nominations in the Navy must be routed in accordance with military protocols, considering the President's role as Commander in Chief and the structured process of nomination and appointments with Senate approval outlined in Section 2 of the United States Constitution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Within the United States Armed Forces, award nominations and other award matters requiring approval by the Secretary of the Navy or the Assistant Secretary of the Navy must be routed through an appropriate chain of command and due process as established by military protocols and the Department of the Navy. According to the United States Constitution, Section 2 outlines the powers of the President, who is the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, allowing for the requirement of written opinions from the principal officer of each executive department on matters within their duties. Furthermore, while the President has the power to nominate and appoint certain officers of the United States with the advice and consent of the Senate, Congress may vest the appointment of inferior officers in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the department heads, which in the case of the Navy would involve the Secretary of the Navy.