Joint Chiefs of Staff

Joint Chiefs of Staff
Unit name	Joint Chiefs of Staff
Caption	Seal of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Dates	1942–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Space Force
Type	High-level military advisory body
Role	Principal military advisory to the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council
Command structure	United States Department of Defense
Garrison	The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia
Current commander	GEN Mark A. Milley, USA
Commander2	GEN John E. Hyten, USAF
Commander2 label	Vice Chairman

Contents

Joint Chiefs of Staff is the body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the nation's highest civilian officials on military matters. Established during World War II to coordinate strategy between the United States Army and the United States Navy, it has evolved into a central pillar of the National Security Act of 1947 framework. The chairman serves as the principal military advisor to the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council.

History and establishment

The origins trace to early interservice conferences during the Philippine–American War and the World War I era, but the modern institution was forged in the crucible of World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Ernest King recognized the need for a unified command structure, leading to the creation with the Combined Chiefs of Staff to coordinate with British Armed Forces allies like Field Marshal Alan Brooke. Key figures in its early formation included General of the Army George Marshall and Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, the first chairman. The National Security Act of 1947 formally established the organization within the newly created United States Department of Defense, with subsequent refinements through the Goldwater–Nichols Act of 1986.

The body is composed of the Chairman and Vice Chairman, who are by law required to be from different military services, along with the service chiefs of the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, and the Chief of Space Operations of the United States Space Force. The Chief of the National Guard Bureau serves as a statutory advisor. Members are appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. The organization is supported by the Joint Staff, led by the Director of the Joint Staff, who is appointed by the chairman from any service branch.

Its primary function is to provide integrated military advice to the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council. Responsibilities include strategic planning, preparing joint logistic and mobility plans, and reviewing major material and personnel requirements of the armed forces. The chairman, in particular, assists in strategic direction and oversees the Unified Combatant Command structure, including United States Central Command and United States Indo-Pacific Command. The body does not possess operational command authority, which resides with the Secretary of Defense and the President of the United States as Commander-in-Chief.

The organization operates under the foundational principle of civilian control of the military, a cornerstone of the United States Constitution. The United States Secretary of Defense, a civilian, is the immediate superior in the chain of command. The chairman's advisory role is to the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense, not as a command conduit to the Unified Combatant Command commanders. This relationship was clarified and strengthened by the Goldwater–Nichols Act, which aimed to reduce interservice rivalry and ensure advice presented to civilian leaders like Ronald Reagan or George H. W. Bush was truly joint.

The body has played a critical advisory role in every major conflict and operation since World War II, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Chairman General Maxwell D. Taylor provided counsel to President John F. Kennedy. More recently, it has been central to planning and advising for prolonged campaigns such as the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War. Its influence extends to shaping major defense policies and procurement strategies, such as the development of the B-21 Raider bomber and the posture of forces in regions overseen by United States European Command.