Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS)

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the highest-ranking military officer in the US Armed Forces, and the top military advisor to the president. While the CJCS is tasked with assisting the president and the secretary of defense in carrying out their command functions, the chairman does not have the legal authority to exercise direct operational command over the armed forces. The CJCS is also responsible for overseeing the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a Department of Defense advisory body made up of the leaders of each military branch. The CJCS is also assisted by the Joint Staff, which is a body of the senior most uniformed Department of Defense leaders. The office of the CJCS has existed since 1949, but it was not until the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 that the chairman was officially recognized as the chief military advisor to the president and the secretary of defense.

Background

The CJCS is the leader of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a special military council composed of the highest-ranking officers from each branch of the US armed forces. Operating out of the Pentagon in Washington, DC, the Joint Chiefs of Staff is part of the Department of Defense. Led by the CJCS and the Vice-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS), the council is composed of the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and the Chief of Space Operations. Aside from the CJCS and VCJSC, who are chosen by the president, the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff earn their seats on the council simply on the basis of their rank within their respective military branches. This means that almost all the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are four-star generals. The only regular exception is the Chief of Naval Operations, who holds the US Navy’s highest rank of Admiral.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff’s primary responsibility is to serve as military advisors to the president. The council’s members provide the strategy and tactical knowledge the president needs to properly execute military objectives. Furthermore, each member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is also tasked with advising their branch’s combatant commanders, as well as the various civilian leaders within the broader military community. Along with their advisory responsibilities, the Joint Chiefs of Staff oversee readiness planning and training for each branch. However, members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not have direct authority over the US military’s combatant commands. Combatant commands take orders from the president and the secretary of defense. This means that the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not directly command any of the military’s actual forces.

Under normal circumstances, the Joint Chiefs of Staff meet monthly in a secure location known as “The Tank.” This name is a reference to a nickname given to the tank-like entrance to the original Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting place. The president and the secretary of defense also join these meeting on occasion.

Overview

Along with the president and the secretary of defense, the CJCS is one of the United States’ most important military leaders. The highest-ranked officer in the American military, the chairman is the top military advisor to the president and secretary of defense and is responsible for leading the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In regard to the latter, the CJCS is responsible for calling meetings and organizing the Joint Chiefs’ various activities. The CJCS also serves as an advisor to the Homeland Security Council (HSC) and the National Security Council (NSC).

Unlike the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the CJCS and the VCJCS are appointed to their positions by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Each incoming CJCS takes office in an odd-numbered year and serves for four years. This term is typically shorter only when the president asks the CJCS to resign ahead of schedule. Given the nature of how CJCS’ take office, it is possible for a sitting chairman to serve under more than one president.

The office of the CJCS came into existence on a permanent basis in 1949 through amendments made to the National Security Act of 1947. However, the position originated in 1942 as a temporary measure during the early stages of America’s involvement in World War II (1939–1945). The first CJCS, who served under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy. Once the office of the CJCS became permanent, the chairman was initially responsible only for offering military advice to the president. That changed with the enactment of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986, which formally made the CHJS the president’s top military advisor and also gave the chairman official recognition as the US Armed Forces’ highest ranking officer. In addition, the Act created the modern operational chain of command that runs from the president to the secretary of defense and finally to the military’s combatant commanders. According to the law, the CJCS exists outside this command structure and is prohibited from exercising any command authority over combatant forces. Instead, the chairman consults with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and combatant commanders and assists the president and secretary of defense in carrying out their command duties and communicating with combatant commanders.

There have been a number of notable CJCSs over the history of the office, including General Colin Powell, who served under presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton between 1989 and 1993. Also of note is General Mark Milley, who took office as CJCS under President Donald Trump in 2019. Milley made headlines in 2021 when reports surfaced that he took steps to prevent Trump from potentially declaring war against China or Iran or launching an unprovoked nuclear attack during the waning days of his presidency. Milley remained in his position following Trump’s departure, continuing to serve as CJCS under President Joe Biden until his retirement. On October 1, 2023, after serving as the 22nd Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., became the twenty-first CJCS.

Bibliography

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