Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Seal of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Flag of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Incumbent
General Dan Caine, USAF
since 11 April 2025
Joint Chiefs of Staff
Department of Defense
TypeHighest-ranking military officer
AbbreviationCJCS
Member ofJoint Chiefs of Staff
National Security Council
Reports toPresident
Secretary of Defense
ResidenceQuarters 6, Fort Myer[1]
SeatThe Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia
NominatorSecretary of Defense
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Term length4 years, not renewable
Constituting instrument10 U.S.C. § 152
10 U.S.C. § 153
PrecursorChief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy
Formation19 August 1949
First holderGeneral of the Army Omar Bradley
DeputyVice Chairman
Director (Joint Staff)
Senior Enlisted Advisor (Enlisted Matters)
Websitewww.jcs.mil

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the leading officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces[2] and the main military advisor to the president, the National Security Council,[3] the Homeland Security Council, and the secretary of defense.[4]

List of chairmen

Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief (historical predecessor office)

No. Portrait Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief Took office Left office Time in office Service branch Secretaries of Defense President
1
Leahy, William D.Fleet Admiral
William D. Leahy
(1875–1959)		20 July 194221 March 19496 years, 244 days
U.S. Navy		Henry L. Stimson
Robert P. Patterson
Kenneth C. Royall
(of War)
Frank Knox
(of Navy)
James V. Forrestal
(1st DOD)		Franklin D. Roosevelt
Harry S. Truman

Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  Denotes acting capacity.
No. Portrait Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Took office Left office Time in office Service branch Secretaries of Defense President
1
Bradley, OmarGeneral of the Army
Omar Bradley
(1893–1981)		19 August 194915 August 19533 years, 361 days
U.S. Army		Louis A. Johnson
George Marshall
Robert A. Lovett		Harry S. Truman
Dwight D. Eisenhower
2
Radford, Arthur W.Admiral
Arthur W. Radford
(1896–1973)		15 August 195315 August 19574 years, 0 days
U.S. Navy		Charles Erwin WilsonDwight D. Eisenhower
3
Twining, Nathan F.General
Nathan F. Twining
(1897–1982)		15 August 195730 September 19603 years, 46 days
U.S. Air Force		Charles Erwin Wilson
Neil H. McElroy
Thomas S. Gates		Dwight D. Eisenhower
4
Lemnitzer, LymanGeneral
Lyman Lemnitzer
(1899–1988)		1 October 196030 September 19622 years, 0 days
U.S. Army		Thomas S. Gates
Robert McNamara		Dwight D. Eisenhower
John F. Kennedy
5
Taylor, MaxwellGeneral
Maxwell D. Taylor
(1901–1987)		1 October 19621 July 19641 year, 275 days
U.S. Army		Robert McNamaraJohn F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
6
Wheeler, EarleGeneral
Earle Wheeler
(1908–1975)		3 July 19642 July 19705 years, 364 days
U.S. Army		Robert McNamara
Clark Clifford
Melvin Laird		Lyndon B. Johnson
Richard Nixon
7
Moorer, ThomasAdmiral
Thomas H. Moorer
(1912–2004)		2 July 19701 July 19743 years, 364 days
U.S. Navy		Melvin Laird
Elliot Richardson
James R. Schlesinger		Richard Nixon
8
Brown, GeorgeGeneral
George S. Brown
(1918–1978)		1 July 197420 June 19783 years, 354 days
U.S. Air Force		James R. Schlesinger
Donald Rumsfeld
Harold Brown		Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
9
Jones, DavidGeneral
David C. Jones
(1921–2013)		21 June 197818 June 19823 years, 362 days
U.S. Air Force		Harold Brown
Caspar Weinberger		Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
10
Vessey Jr., John WilliamGeneral
John W. Vessey Jr.
(1922–2016)		18 June 198230 September 19853 years, 104 days
U.S. Army		Caspar WeinbergerRonald Reagan
11
Crowe, WilliamAdmiral
William J. Crowe Jr.
(1925–2007)		1 October 198530 September 19893 years, 364 days
U.S. Navy		Caspar Weinberger
Frank Carlucci
Dick Cheney		Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush
12
Powell, ColinGeneral
Colin Powell
(1937–2021)		1 October 198930 September 19933 years, 364 days
U.S. Army		Dick Cheney
Les Aspin		George H. W. Bush
Bill Clinton
−
Jeremiah, DavidAdmiral
David E. Jeremiah
(1934–2013)
Acting		1 October 199324 October 199323 days
U.S. Navy		Les AspinBill Clinton
13
Shalikashvili, JohnGeneral
John Shalikashvili
(1936–2011)		25 October 199330 September 19973 years, 341 days
U.S. Army		Les Aspin
William J. Perry
William Cohen		Bill Clinton
14
Shelton, HughGeneral
Hugh Shelton
(born 1942)		1 October 199730 September 20013 years, 364 days
U.S. Army		William Cohen
Donald Rumsfeld		Bill Clinton
George W. Bush
15
Myers, RichardGeneral
Richard Myers
(born 1942)		1 October 200130 September 20053 years, 364 days
U.S. Air Force		Donald RumsfeldGeorge W. Bush
16
Pace, PeterGeneral
Peter Pace
(born 1945)		1 October 200530 September 20071 year, 364 days
U.S. Marine Corps		Donald Rumsfeld
Robert Gates		George W. Bush
17
Mullen, MichaelAdmiral
Michael Mullen
(born 1946)		1 October 200730 September 20113 years, 364 days
U.S. Navy		Robert Gates
Leon Panetta		George W. Bush
Barack Obama
18
Dempsey, MartinGeneral
Martin Dempsey
(born 1952)		1 October 201130 September 20153 years, 364 days
U.S. Army		Leon Panetta
Chuck Hagel
Ash Carter		Barack Obama
19
Dunford, JosephGeneral
Joseph Dunford
(born 1955)		1 October 201530 September 20193 years, 364 days
U.S. Marine Corps		Ash Carter
Jim Mattis
Mark Esper		Barack Obama
Donald Trump
20
Milley, MarkGeneral
Mark Milley
(born 1958)		1 October 201930 September 20233 years, 364 days
U.S. Army		Mark Esper
Lloyd Austin		Donald Trump
Joe Biden
21
Brown, CharlesGeneral
Charles Q. Brown Jr.
(born 1962)		1 October 202321 February 20251 year, 143 days
U.S. Air Force		Lloyd Austin
Pete Hegseth		Joe Biden
Donald Trump
−
Grady, Christopher W.Admiral
Christopher W. Grady
(born 1962)
Acting		21 February 202511 April 202549 days
U.S. Navy		Pete HegsethDonald Trump
22
Caine, DanGeneral
Dan Caine
(born 1968)		11 April 2025Incumbent151 days
U.S. Air Force		Pete HegsethDonald Trump

References

  1. ↑ "Quarters Six, The Official Residence of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff" (PDF). Retrieved 2021-05-17.
  2. ↑ 10 U.S.C. § 152 Chairman: appointment; grade and rank
  3. ↑ 10 U.S.C. § 151 - Joint Chiefs of Staff: composition; functions
  4. ↑ "Joint Chiefs of Staff Official Web Site". Archived from the original on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2009-09-24. Goldwater–Nichols Act of 1986
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