The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secu ...
, that advises the
president of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
, the
secretary of defense, the
Homeland Security Council
The Homeland Security Council (HSC) is an entity within the Executive Office of the President of the United States tasked with advising the President on matters relevant to Homeland Security. The current Homeland Security Advisor is Elizabeth S ...
and the
National Security Council
A national security council (NSC) is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security. An NSC is often headed by a na ...
on military matters. The composition of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is defined by
statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs the legal entities of a city, state, or country by way of consent. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. Statutes are rules made by le ...
and consists of a
chairman
The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...
(CJCS), a
vice chairman
The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...
(VJCS), the service chiefs of the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
,
Marine Corps
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
,
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
,
Air Force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...
,
Space Force
A space force is a military branch of a nation's armed forces that conducts military operations in outer space and space warfare. The world's first space force was the Russian Space Forces, established in 1992 as an independent military service. ...
, and the
chief of the National Guard Bureau
The chief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB) is the highest-ranking officer of the National Guard and the head of the National Guard Bureau. The position is a statutory office (), held by a federally recognized commissioned officer who has serv ...
.
Each of the individual service chiefs, outside their JCS obligations, work directly under the secretaries of their respective military departments, e.g. the
secretary of the Army, the
secretary of the Navy
The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense.
By law, the se ...
, and the
secretary of the Air Force
A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...
.
Following the
Goldwater–Nichols Act
The Goldwater–Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of October 4, 1986 , (signed by President Ronald Reagan), made the most sweeping changes to the United States Department of Defense since the department was established in the ...
in 1986, the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not have operational command authority, either individually or collectively, as the
chain of command
A command hierarchy is a group of people who carry out orders based on others' authority within the group. It can be viewed as part of a power structure, in which it is usually seen as the most vulnerable and also the most powerful part.
Milit ...
goes from the president to the secretary of defense, and from the secretary to the regional
combatant commanders
A unified combatant command (CCMD), also referred to as a combatant command, is a joint military command of the United States Department of Defense that is composed of units from two or more service branches of the United States Armed Forces, ...
. Goldwater–Nichols also created the office of vice chairman, and the chairman is now designated as the principal military adviser to the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the president.
The
Joint Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...
(JS) is a headquarters staff in the
Pentagon
In geometry, a pentagon (from the Greek πέντε ''pente'' meaning ''five'' and γωνία ''gonia'' meaning ''angle'') is any five-sided polygon or 5-gon. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°.
A pentagon may be simpl ...
, composed of personnel from each of the six service branches, that assists the chairman and the vice chairman in discharging their responsibilities and is managed by the
director of the Joint Staff
The director of the Joint Staff (DJS) is a three-star officer who assists the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a cabinet of senior military officers within the United States Armed Forces who advise the secretary of defense and the president on military ...
(DJS).
Role and responsibilities
![Space Force Leader to Become 8th Member of Joint Chiefs (3)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Space_Force_Leader_to_Become_8th_Member_of_Joint_Chiefs_%283%29.jpg)
After the 1986 reorganization of the
Armed Forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
undertaken by the
Goldwater–Nichols Act
The Goldwater–Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of October 4, 1986 , (signed by President Ronald Reagan), made the most sweeping changes to the United States Department of Defense since the department was established in the ...
, the Joint Chiefs of Staff does not possess operational authority over troops or other units. Responsibility for conducting military operations goes from the
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
to the
secretary of defense directly to the commanders of the
unified combatant command
A unified combatant command (CCMD), also referred to as a combatant command, is a joint military command of the United States Department of Defense that is composed of units from two or more service branches of the United States Armed Forces, an ...
s and thus bypasses the Joint Chiefs of Staff completely.
Today, their primary responsibility is to ensure personnel readiness, policy, planning and training of their respective services for the combatant commanders to utilize. In addition, the
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: app ...
acts as the chief military advisor to the president and the secretary of defense. In this strictly advisory role, the Joint Chiefs constitute the third-highest deliberative body for military policy, after the
National Security Council
A national security council (NSC) is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security. An NSC is often headed by a na ...
and the
Homeland Security Council
The Homeland Security Council (HSC) is an entity within the Executive Office of the President of the United States tasked with advising the President on matters relevant to Homeland Security. The current Homeland Security Advisor is Elizabeth S ...
, which includes the president and other officials besides the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
While serving as the chairman or vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, chief of staff of the Army, commandant of the Marine Corps, Chief of Naval Operations, chief of staff of the Air Force, or commandant of the Coast Guard, the salary is $15,583.20 a month, regardless of cumulative years of service completed under section 205 of
title 37,
United States Code
In the law of the United States, the Code of Laws of the United States of America (variously abbreviated to Code of Laws of the United States, United States Code, U.S. Code, U.S.C., or USC) is the official compilation and codification of the ...
.
Current members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Non-member attendee
Although it is a branch of the Armed Forces pursuant to , the Coast Guard operates under the
Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...
rather than the
Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
, except when the president (e.g., in times of war or national emergency) transfers it to the
Department of the Navy Navy Department or Department of the Navy may refer to:
* United States Department of the Navy,
* Navy Department (Ministry of Defence), in the United Kingdom, 1964-1997
* Confederate States Department of the Navy, 1861-1865
* Department of the ...
. The
commandant of the Coast Guard
The commandant of the Coast Guard is the service chief and highest-ranking member of the United States Coast Guard. The commandant is an admiral, appointed for a four-year term by the president of the United States upon confirmation by the Uni ...
is not a ''
de jure
In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally ...
'' member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff but is sometimes regarded as a ''
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...
'' member, being entitled to the same supplemental pay as the Joint Chiefs, and occasionally will attend meetings of the JCS by invitation. Unlike the Joint Chiefs, who are not actually in the military's operational chain of command, the commandant is both the administrative and the operational commander of the service.
History
Joint Board
![Secretary of Defense Harold Brown with the Joint Chiefs of Staff member at the Pentagon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Secretary_of_Defense_Harold_Brown_with_the_Joint_Chiefs_of_Staff_member_at_the_Pentagon.jpg)
As the
U.S. military
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
grew in size following the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, joint military action between the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
and
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
became increasingly difficult. The Army and Navy were unsupportive of each other at either the planning or operational level and were constrained by disagreements during the
Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (clock ...
in the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
campaigns.
The Joint Army and Navy Board was established in 1903 by President
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
, comprising representatives from the military heads and chief planners of both the Navy's
General Board
The General Board of the United States Navy was an advisory body of the United States Navy, somewhat akin to a naval general staff and somewhat not. The General Board was established by general order 544, issued on March 13, 1900 by Secretary ...
and the Army's
General Staff
A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military un ...
. The Joint Board acting as an "advisory committee" was created to plan joint operations and resolve problems of common
rivalry
A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...
between the two services.
[
Yet, the Joint Board accomplished little, as its charter gave it no authority to enforce its decisions. The Joint Board also lacked the ability to originate its own opinions and was thus limited to commenting only on the problems submitted to it by the secretaries of war and ]Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
. As a result, the Joint Board had little to no impact on the manner in which the United States conducted World War I.
After World War I, in 1919 the two secretaries agreed to reestablish and revitalize the Joint Board. The mission of the General Staff was to develop plans for mobilization for the next war; the U.S. was always designated "blue" and potential enemies were assigned various other colors.
This time, the Joint Board's membership would include the chiefs of staff, their deputies, and the chief of war plans division for the Army and director of plans division for the Navy. Under the Joint Board would be a staff called the Joint Planning Committee to serve the board. Along with new membership, the Joint Board could initiate recommendations on its own initiative. However, the Joint Board still did not possess the legal authority to enforce its decisions.
World War II
U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
and British prime minister Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...
established the Combined Chiefs of Staff
The Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) was the supreme military staff for the United States and Britain during World War II. It set all the major policy decisions for the two nations, subject to the approvals of British Prime Minister Winston Churchil ...
(CCS) during the 1942 Arcadia Conference The First Washington Conference, also known as the Arcadia Conference (ARCADIA was the code name used for the conference), was held in Washington, D.C., from December 22, 1941, to January 14, 1942. President Roosevelt of the United States and Prime ...
. The CCS would serve as the supreme military body for strategic direction of the joint U.S.–UK war effort.
The UK portion of the CCS would be composed of the British Chiefs of Staff Committee
The Chiefs of Staff Committee (CSC) is composed of the most senior military personnel in the British Armed Forces who advise on operational military matters and the preparation and conduct of military operations. The committee consists of the Ch ...
, but the United States had no equivalent body. The Joint Board's lack of authority made it of little use to the CCS, although its 1935 publication, Joint Action of the Army and Navy, did give some guidance for the joint operations during World War II. The Joint Board had little influence during the war and was ultimately disbanded in 1947.
As a counterpart to the UK's Chiefs of Staff Committee in the CCS, and to provide better-coordinated effort and coordinated staff work for America's military effort, Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
William D. Leahy
William Daniel Leahy () (May 6, 1875 – July 20, 1959) was an American naval officer who served as the most senior United States military officer on active duty during World War II. He held multiple titles and was at the center of all major ...
proposed a "unified high command" in what would come to be called the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Modeled on the British Chiefs of Staff Committee, the JCS' first formal meeting was held on 9 February 1942, to coordinate operations between War and Navy Departments. The official history of the Army Air Forces noted that although there was "no official charter establishing this committee...by the end of February it had assumed responsibilities toward the American war effort comparable to the CCS on the combined level." On 20 July 1942, Admiral Leahy became the "Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief", with all individual service chiefs operating under his authority.
The first members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were:
Each of the members of the original Joint Chiefs was a four-star flag or general officer in his service branch. By the end of the war each had been promoted: Leahy and King to Fleet Admiral; Marshall and Arnold to General of the Army. Arnold was later appointed to the grade of General of the Air Force
General of the Air Force (GAF) is a five-star general officer rank and is the highest possible rank in the United States Air Force. General of the Air Force ranks immediately above a general and is equivalent to General of the Army in the Unit ...
.
One of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's committees was the Joint Strategic Survey Committee (JSSC). The JSSC, "one of the most influential planning agencies in the wartime armed forces", was an extraordinary JCS committee that existed from 1942 until 1947. Members included Lieutenant General Stanley D. Embick, U.S. Army, chairman, 1942–1946, Vice Admiral Russell Willson, U.S. Navy, 1942–1945, Vice Admiral Theodore Stark Wilkinson
Theodore Stark "Ping" Wilkinson (December 22, 1888 – February 21, 1946) was a Vice-Admiral of the United States Navy during World War II. He also received the Medal of Honor for his actions in Veracruz, Mexico.
Early life and career
After ...
, U.S. Navy, 1946, and Major General Muir S. Fairchild
General (United States), General Muir Stephen Fairchild (September 2, 1894 – March 17, 1950) was a United States Air Force officer and the service's second Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, Vice Chief of Staff.
Early service
...
, U.S. Army Air Force, 1942–?.
National Security Act of 1947
With the end of World War II, the Joint Chiefs of Staff was officially established under the National Security Act of 1947
The National Security Act of 1947 ( Pub.L.br>80-253 61 Stat.br>495 enacted July 26, 1947) was a law enacting major restructuring of the United States government's military and intelligence agencies following World War II. The majority of the pro ...
. Per the National Security Act, the JCS consisted of a chairman, the chief of staff of the Army, the chief of staff of the Air Force (which was established as a separate service by the same Act), and the chief of naval operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
. The commandant of the Marine Corps
The commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) is normally the highest-ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Joint Chiefs of Staff: composition; functions. The CMC reports directly to the secr ...
was to be consulted on matters concerning the Corps, but was not a regular member; General Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.
Lemuel Cornick Shepherd Jr. (February 10, 1896 – August 6, 1990) was a four-star general of the United States Marine Corps. A veteran of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, he was the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps. As Co ...
, Commandant in 1952–55, was the first to sit as an occasional member. The law was amended during the term of General Louis H. Wilson, Jr. (1975–79), making the commandant a full-time JCS member in parity with the other three DoD services.
The position of vice chairman was created by the Goldwater–Nichols Act
The Goldwater–Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of October 4, 1986 , (signed by President Ronald Reagan), made the most sweeping changes to the United States Department of Defense since the department was established in the ...
of 1986 to complement the CJCS, as well as to delegate some of the chairman's responsibilities, particularly resource allocation through the Joint Requirements Oversight Council Part of the United States Department of Defense acquisition process, the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) reviews programs designated as JROC interest and supports the acquisition review process in accordance with law (). The JROC accompl ...
(JROC).
General Colin L. Powell
Colin Luther Powell ( ; April 5, 1937 – October 18, 2021) was an American politician, statesman, diplomat, and United States Army officer who served as the 65th United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African ...
(1989–1993) was the first African American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Charles Q. Brown Jr. was the first African-American to be appointed as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force and the first African-American to lead any branch of the services. General Richard B. Myers (Chairman, 2001-2005) was the first Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VJCS) is, by U.S. law, the second highest-ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, - Vice Chairman ranking just below the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The vice chairman ...
to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: app ...
. General Peter Pace
Peter Pace (born November 5, 1945) is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 16th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Pace was the first Marine officer appointed as chairman and the first Marine officer to be appointed ...
(Vice Chairman 2001–2005; Chairman, 2005–2007) was the first Marine to serve in either position. No woman has ever served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
National Defense Authorization Act of 2012
A provision in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act added the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Guard historians called it the "most significant development" for the National Guard since the Militia Act of 1903
The Militia Act of 1903 (), also known as the Efficiency in Militia Act of 1903 or the Dick Act, was legislation enacted by the United States Congress to create an early National Guard and which codified the circumstances under which the Guard cou ...
.
National Defense Authorization Act of 2020
The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act established the U.S. Space Force
The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and the world's only independent space force. Along with its sister branch, the U.S. Air Force, the Space ...
on 20 December 2019. The Space Force is headed by the chief of space operations, who reports directly to the secretary of the Air Force
A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...
. Pursuant to , the chief of space operations became a statutory member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on 20 December 2020.
Organization and leadership positions
Chairman
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is, by law, the highest-ranking military officer of the United States Armed Forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
,
10 USC 152. Chairman: appointment; grade and rank and the principal military adviser to the president of the United States. He leads the meetings and coordinates the efforts of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, comprising the chairman, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of staff of the United States Army
The chief of staff of the Army (CSA) is a statutory position in the United States Army held by a general officer. As the highest-ranking officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, the chief is the principal military advisor and a ...
, the commandant of the United States Marine Corps
The commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) is normally the highest-ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Joint Chiefs of Staff: composition; functions. The CMC reports directly to the secr ...
, the chief of naval operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
, the chief of staff of the United States Air Force
The chief of staff of the Air Force (acronym: CSAF, or AF/CC) is a statutory office () held by a general in the United States Air Force, and as such is the principal military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force on matter pertaining to th ...
, the Chief of Space Operations
The chief of space operations (CSO) is the service chief of the United States Space Force. The CSO is the principal military adviser to the secretary of the Air Force for Space Force operations and, as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a mi ...
(statutory member after December 2020), and the chief of the National Guard Bureau
The chief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB) is the highest-ranking officer of the National Guard and the head of the National Guard Bureau. The position is a statutory office (), held by a federally recognized commissioned officer who has serv ...
. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have offices in the Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metony ...
. The chairman outranks all service chiefs,
10 USC 152(c). Chairman: appointment; grade and rank – Grade and Rank. but does not maintain authority over them, their branches or the Unified Combatant Command
A unified combatant command (CCMD), also referred to as a combatant command, is a joint military command of the United States Department of Defense that is composed of units from two or more service branches of the United States Armed Forces, an ...
s. All combatant commanders receive their orders directly from the secretary of defense.
On 20 July 1942, Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy
William Daniel Leahy () (May 6, 1875 – July 20, 1959) was an American naval officer who served as the most senior United States military officer on active duty during World War II. He held multiple titles and was at the center of all major ...
became Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief (20 July 1942 – 21 March 1949). He was not technically the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Leahy's office was the precursor to the post of "Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff". That post was established and first held by General of the Army Omar Bradley
Omar Nelson Bradley (February 12, 1893April 8, 1981) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the United States Army during and after World War II, rising to the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. Bradley ...
in 1949.
The current and 20th chairman is General Mark Milley
Mark Alexander Milley (born June 20, 1958) is a United States Army general who serves as the 20th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He previously served as the 39th chief of staff of the Army from August 14, 2015 to August 9, 2019, and hel ...
, who began his tenure on 30 September 2019.
Vice Chairman
The position of Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VJCS) is, by U.S. law, the second highest-ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, - Vice Chairman ranking just below the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The vice chairman ...
was created by the Goldwater–Nichols Act
The Goldwater–Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of October 4, 1986 , (signed by President Ronald Reagan), made the most sweeping changes to the United States Department of Defense since the department was established in the ...
of 1986. The vice chairman is a four-star-general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
or admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
and, by law, is the second highest-ranking member of the U.S. Armed Forces (after the chairman). In the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman presides over the meetings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He may also perform such duties as the chairman may prescribe. It was not until the National Defense Authorization Act in 1992 that the position was made a full voting member of the JCS.
The current vice chairman is Admiral Christopher W. Grady, who began his tenure on 20 December 2021.
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
The senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC) advises on all matters concerning joint and combined total force integration, utilization, development, and helps develop noncommissioned officers related joint professional education, enhance utilization of senior NCOs on joint battle staffs, and support the chairman's responsibilities as directed.
Command Sergeant Major William Gainey
William Joseph Gainey (born May 27, 1956) is a retired United States Army soldier who served as the first Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Early life
Gainey was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 27, 1956 ...
, was the first SEAC, serving from 1 October 2005. The current SEAC is Ramón Colón-López
Ramón Colón-López (born October 21, 1971) is a senior non-commissioned officer of the United States Air Force and a former pararescueman, and was selected as the 4th Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) on December 13, 2019. In his ro ...
, who was sworn in by General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on 13 December 2019, replacing SEAC John W. Troxell
John Wayne Troxell (born 1964) is a retired United States Army senior non-commissioned officer who served as the third Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC). This position made him the most senior enlisted ...
.
Joint Staff
The Joint Staff (JS)["Joint Doctrine constitutes official advice, however, the judgment of the commander is paramount in all situations." —Director Joint Force Development (1JAN19]
Joint Electronic Library
/ref>[Joint Staff, J-]
(Jan 2020) DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms
is a military headquarters staff based at The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metony ...
(with offices in Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's ...
, Virginia; Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
, Kansas; Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located in Bexar County, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and an enclave of the city of Sa ...
, Texas; Fort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir is a United States Army installation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It was developed on the site of the former Belvoir plantation, seat of the prominent Fairfax family for whom Fair ...
, Virginia; Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base, located in the northwest United States in eastern Washington, approximately southwest of Spokane.
The host unit at Fairchild is the 92nd Air Refueling Wing (92 ARW) assigned t ...
, Washington and Fort McNair
Fort Lesley J. McNair is a United States Army post located on the tip of Greenleaf Point, the peninsula that lies at the confluence of the Potomac River and the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. To the peninsula's west is the Washington Chan ...
, District of Columbia) composed of personnel from all the six armed services, assisting the chairman and the vice chairman in discharging their responsibilities. They work closely with the Office of the Secretary of Defense
The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is a headquarters-level staff of the United States Department of Defense. It is the principal civilian staff element of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, and it assists the Secretary in carrying out aut ...
(OSD), the military department staffs, and the Combatant Command
A unified combatant command (CCMD), also referred to as a combatant command, is a joint command (military formation), military command of the United States Department of Defense that is composed of units from two or more service branches of the ...
staffs.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: app ...
(CJCS) is assisted by the director of the Joint Staff
The director of the Joint Staff (DJS) is a three-star officer who assists the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a cabinet of senior military officers within the United States Armed Forces who advise the secretary of defense and the president on military ...
(DJS), a three-star officer who assists the chairman with the management of the Joint Staff, an organization composed of approximately equal numbers of officers contributed by the Army, the Navy and Marine Corps, the Air Force, the Space Force, and the Coast Guard, who have been assigned to assist the chairman in providing to the secretary of defense unified strategic direction, operation, and integration of the combatant land, naval, space, and air forces.
Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper
Mark Thomas Esper (born April 26, 1964) is an American politician and manufacturing executive who served as the 27th United States secretary of defense from 2019 to 2020. A member of the Republican Party, he had previously served as the 23rd ...
tasked the Joint Staff with developing a Joint Warfighting Concept[JADC2 as a concept— Like the Integrated Tactical Network, instances of a concept can exist before acquisition— se]
PEO C3T (2018) Integrated Tactical Network
/ref> for the services by December 2020.[Theresa Hitchens (29 January 2020) New Joint Warfighting Plan Will Help Define ‘Top Priority’ JADC2: Hyten]
/ref> Developing Joint all-domain command and control ( JADC2) as a concept is a key goal of the 20th CJCS. An OSD/Joint Staff Cross-Functional Team
A cross-functional team, also known as a multidisciplinary team or interdisciplinary team, is a group of people with different functional expertise working toward a common goal. It may include people from finance, marketing, operations, and human ...
for JADC2 is underway
Underway, or under way, is a nautical term describing the state of a vessel. "Way" arises when there is sufficient water flow past the rudder of a vessel that it can be steered. A vessel is said to be underway if it meets the following criteria: ...
.[Sydney J Freedberg Jr (11 May 2021) Revised JADC2 Strategy Hits DepSecDef’s Desk]
JADC2 strategy: federate the data fabric [Theresa Hitchens (14 November 2019) OSD & Joint Staff Grapple With Joint All-Domain Command]
/ref> Esper ordered the four services and the Joint Staff to create a new joint warfighting concept for All-domain operations, operating simultaneously in the air, land, sea, space, cyber, and the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS).[Colin Clark (18 Feb 2020) Gen. Hyten On The New American Way of War: All-Domain Operations]
*"A computer-coordinated fight": in the air, land, sea, space, cyber, and the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS)
**"forces from satellites to foot soldiers to submarines sharing battle data at machine-to-machine speed"
*"it’s the ability to integrate and effectively command and control all domains in a conflict or in a crisis seamlessly"—Gen. Hyten, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
** All-Domain Operations use global capabilities: "space, cyber, deterrent he nuclear triad (for mutually assured destruction in the Cold War, an evolving concept in itself) transportation, electromagnetic spectrum operations, missile defense"
The Joint Chiefs and Combatant Commanders witnessed demonstrations of the concept in September 2020.[Theresa Hitchens (3 Sep 2020) ABMS Demo Proves AI Chops For C2]
The acquisition method for several of the capabilities being demonstrated would be indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ), but the decisions to buy would be made by the Combatant Commands. —Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper
Organization
The Joint Staff includes the following departments where all the planning, policies, intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can b ...
, manpower
Human resources (HR) is the set of people who make up the workforce of an organization, business sector, industry, or economy. A narrower concept is human capital, the knowledge and skills which the individuals command. Similar terms include ...
, communications and logistics functions are translated into action.[jcs.mil](_blank)
*Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
**Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
***Director, Joint Staff - assists the Chairman in his role as advisor to the President and Secretary of Defense, coordinates and directs activities of the Joint Staff in support of the Chairman, and serves as the staff inspector general.
****Vice Director, Joint Staff
*****J1 - Director, Manpower and Personnel
*****J2 - Director, Intelligence
*****J3 - Director, Operations
*****J4 - Director, Logistics
*****J5 - Director, Strategy, Plans, and Policy
*****J6 - Director, Command, Control, Communications, and Computers / Chief Information Officer
*****J7 - Director, Joint Force Development
*****J8 - Director, Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment
*****Director of Management
*****Joint History Office - record activities of the chairman and the Joint Staff
***Assistant to the Chairman - oversees matters requiring close personal control by the chairman with particular focus on international relations and politico-military concerns
***Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) - advisor to the chairman on all matters involving joint and combined total force integration, utilization, health of the force, and joint development for enlisted personnel
Directorates of the Joint Staff
The Joint Staff includes the following departments where all the planning, policies, intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can b ...
, manpower
Human resources (HR) is the set of people who make up the workforce of an organization, business sector, industry, or economy. A narrower concept is human capital, the knowledge and skills which the individuals command. Similar terms include ...
, communications and logistics functions are translated into action.
* Joint Staff Information Management Division (United States)
The Joint Staff Information Management Division (IMD) is one of two divisions which make up the Joint Staff Secretariat (SJS) of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff currently located in the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia (USA). The other div ...
* DOM – Directorate of Management
* J1 – Personnel and Manpower
* J2 – Intelligence
** The National Military Joint Intelligence Center A Joint Intelligence Center (JIC) is a focal point for military intelligence gathered by different intelligence agencies and administered by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). The intelligence center of the joint force headquarters. The joint in ...
(NMJIC) is part of the J2 directorate and is staffed by Defense Intelligence Agency
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is an intelligence agency and combat support agency of the United States Department of Defense, specializing in defense and military intelligence.
A component of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the I ...
personnel
* J3 – Operations
** The National Military Command Center
The National Military Command Center (NMCC) is a Pentagon command and communications center for the National Command Authority (i.e., the President of the United States and the United States Secretary of Defense). Maintained by the Department o ...
(NMCC) is part of the J3 directorate
* J4 – Logistics
* J5 – Strategic Plans and Policy
* J6 – Command, Control, Communications and Computers/Cyber
** The J-6 directorate is one of a group of agencies that administer the SIPRNet
The Secure Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet) is "a system of interconnected computer networks used by the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of State to transmit classified information (up to and including information cla ...
. Other administrators include: the National Security Agency
The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collecti ...
, the Defense Intelligence Agency
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is an intelligence agency and combat support agency of the United States Department of Defense, specializing in defense and military intelligence.
A component of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the I ...
, and the Defense Information Systems Agency
The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), known as the Defense Communications Agency (DCA) until 1991, is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) combat support agency composed of military, federal civilians, and contractors. DISA prov ...
. The J-6 chairs the DOD's Military Command, Control, Communications, and Computers Executive Board (MC4EB) which works in conjunction with the multinational Combined Communications-Electronics Board The Combined Communications-Electronics Board (CCEB) is a five-nation joint military communications-electronics (C-E) organisation whose mission is the coordination of any military C-E matter that is referred to it by a member nation. The member nat ...
.
** The J-6 Joint Deployable Analysis Team
The Joint Deployable Analysis Team (JDAT) is part of the J6 Directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
JDAT Mission
JDAT conducts field analysis of command and control (C2) information systems and procedures producing decision-quality data to imp ...
(JDAT
The Joint Deployable Analysis Team (JDAT) is part of the J6 Directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
JDAT Mission
JDAT conducts field analysis of command and control (C2) information systems and procedures producing decision-quality data to imp ...
) conducts assessments in conjunction with Combatant Command exercises, experiments, and test and evaluation events.
* J7 – Joint Force Development
** The J-7 is responsible for the six functions of joint force development: Doctrine, Education, Concept Development & Experimentation, Training, Exercises and Lessons Learned.
* J8 – Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment
Joint Chiefs of Staff: Civilian awards
The Joint Chiefs may recognize private citizens, organizations or career civilian government employees for significant achievements provided to the joint community with one of the following decorations/awards.
* CJCS Award for Distinguished Public Service (DPS)
* CJCS Award for Outstanding Public Service (OPS)
* Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award, CJCS Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award
* CJCS Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award
* Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award (JCSCA)
* Joint Civilian Service Achievement Award (JCSAA)
Coast Guard
Although, as discussed above, the commandant of the Coast Guard
The commandant of the Coast Guard is the service chief and highest-ranking member of the United States Coast Guard. The commandant is an admiral, appointed for a four-year term by the president of the United States upon confirmation by the Uni ...
is not an ''ex officio
An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...
'' member of the JCS like the other service chiefs, Coast Guard officers are legally eligible to be appointed as Chairman and Vice Chairman, pursuant to and respectively, which use the collective term "armed forces" rather than listing the eligible services, as well as to other positions on the Joint Staff. As of 2020, no Coast Guard officer has been appointed Chairman or Vice Chairman, but Coast Guard officers routinely serve on the JCS staff, including one vice admiral who was appointed to serve as J6 in 2016.
Gallery
File:Joint Chiefs of Staff 1949.jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff during its early days in 1949.
File:Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Nathan F. Twining during a briefing with the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at The Pentagon.jpg, Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metony ...
in 1958.
File:The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1959.jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1959.
File:JCS 1961.jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1961.
File:Joint Chief of Staff March 1968.jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1968.
File:JointChiefsofStaff January1971.jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1971.
File:The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1977.jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1977.
File:President-Elect Jimmy Carter with U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld During a Visit to The Pentagon.jpg, Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with President-Elect Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld (July 9, 1932 – June 29, 2021) was an American politician, government official and businessman who served as Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under president Gerald Ford, and again from 2001 to 2006 under Presi ...
on December 17, 1976.
File:White House meeting with Joint Chiefs of Staff - NARA - 175830.tif, Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a cabinet meeting in the White House in 1977
File:The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1981.jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1981.
File:The Joint Chiefs of Staff during President Ronald Reagan Inaugural Parade in January 20, 1981.jpg, Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
Inaugural Parade
The inauguration of the president of the United States is a ceremony to mark the commencement of a new four-year term of the president of the United States. During this ceremony, between 73 to 79 days after the presidential election, the pres ...
in January 20, 1981.
File:The Joint Chiefs of STAFF (JCS) pose for a portrait in an office at the Pentagon 1983.jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1983.
File:US Joint Chiefs of Staff Dec 1986.jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1986.
File:Joint Chiefs of Staff (December 2001).jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2001.
File:Joint Chiefs salute Ronald Reagan, June 11, 2004.jpg, Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff render a salute for the late President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
at Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews AFB, AAFB) is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force. In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint B ...
in 2004.
File:US Navy 061230-F-0193C-008 The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Peter Pace, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff walk to their vehicles to continue the ceremony for former U.S. President Gerald Ford.jpg, Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews AFB, AAFB) is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force. In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint B ...
during a funeral service ceremony for the late President Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( ; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He was the only president never to have been elected ...
on December 26, 2006.
File:Seated in front from left, Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright 101203-A-VO565-003.jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Senate Armed Services Committee
The Committee on Armed Services (sometimes abbreviated SASC for ''Senate Armed Services Committee'') is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defe ...
testimony in The Capitol Hill 2010.
File:Joint Chiefs of Staff (31662768614).jpg, The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2017.
See also
* Armed Forces Council (Canada)
* Chiefs of Staff Committee (United Kingdom)
*
* General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces
Israeli General Staff or General Headquarters ( he, המטה הכללי של צה"ל), abbreviated Matkal (מטכ"ל), is the supreme command of the Israel Defense Forces. It is based in the Kirya compound (Rabin Camp) in Tel Aviv.
Members
The ...
* Joint Chiefs of Staff (Republic of Korea)
A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw ...
* Chief of Defence Staff (India)
The Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces (CDS) is the professional head and permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) of the Indian Armed Forces. The Chief of Defence Staff is the highest-ranking uniformed officer ...
* Staff (military)
A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, enlisted and civilian staff who serve the commander of a division or other large military u ...
– see Modern United States military usage for organization of Joint Staff (J1 through J8)
Notes
References
Further reading
* Gillespie, Robert M. ''The Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Escalation of the Vietnam Conflict, 1964–1965''. Masters Thesis, Clemson University, 1994. .
* Joint Chiefs of Staff. ''Organizational Development of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1942–1987''. Joint Secretariat, Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1988.
* Jordan, Jonathan W., ''American Warlords: How Roosevelt's High Command Led America to Victory in World War II'' (NAL/Caliber 2015).
* McMaster, H. R. ''Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam''. New York: Harper Collins, 1997.
* Perry, Mark. ''Four Stars: The Inside Story of the Forty-Year Battle Between the Joint Chiefs of Staff and America's Civilian Leaders''. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1989, .
* Rearden, Steven L. ''History of the Office of the Secretary of Defense''. Two vols. Washington, D.C.: Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, 1984.
* Schnabel, James F
''History of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: The Joint Chiefs of Staff and National Policy 1945–1947. Volume I''
. Washington, D.C.: Joint History Office, The Joint Staff, 1996.
* Taylor, Maxwell D. ''The Uncertain Trumpet''. New York: Harper & Row, 1959.
External links
*
(1935 Joint Board publication)
Joint Chiefs of Staff
on the Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Joint Chiefs Of Staff
United States Department of Defense officials