Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the second-highest-ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces and serves as the principal deputy to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The position was established by the Goldwater–Nichols Act of 1986 to strengthen joint military advice and ensure continuity of leadership. The Vice Chairman is a four-star officer, a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and acts as the Chairman in their absence, playing a critical role in the National Security Council and the Department of Defense's planning and resource allocation processes.

History and establishment

The position was created by the landmark Goldwater–Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986, which was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. This legislation aimed to rectify perceived deficiencies in joint military operations and advice following experiences such as the Iran hostage crisis and the invasion of Grenada. Prior to its establishment, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army or the Vice Chief of Naval Operations would occasionally deputize for the Chairman, but there was no statutory vice chairman. The first officer to hold the post was United States Air Force General Robert T. Herres, who was sworn in on February 6, 1987. The role has evolved, with its authorities further clarified and expanded by subsequent legislation, including the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1992.

Roles and responsibilities

The Vice Chairman's primary duty is to assist the Chairman in providing unified strategic direction to the Department of Defense's combatant commands. A key responsibility is chairing the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, which assesses and validates military capability requirements across the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, and United States Space Force. The Vice Chairman also serves as the senior military advisor to the United States Secretary of Defense when the Chairman is unavailable and plays a central role in the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution system. Furthermore, they are a statutory member of the National Security Council Deputies Committee and the Nuclear Weapons Council.

Appointment and succession

The Vice Chairman is appointed by the President of the United States and must be confirmed by the United States Senate via a majority vote. By law, the appointee must be a commissioned officer who has served at least one year in a joint duty assignment, as defined by Title 10 of the United States Code. The term of service is four years, but the officer serves at the pleasure of the President and can be reappointed for an additional term. The Vice Chairman must be from a different military service branch than the Chairman, ensuring interservice representation. In the event the office of Chairman becomes vacant, the Vice Chairman acts as Chairman until a successor is appointed, but they do not automatically become Chairman.

List of Vice Chairmen

Since the position's creation, officers from all service branches except the United States Marine Corps have held the office. Notable Vice Chairmen include United States Navy Admiral William A. Owens, a key proponent of the "Revolution in Military Affairs," and United States Army General Peter Pace, who later became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The first United States Space Force officer to serve in the role is General David D. Thompson, who served from 2020 to 2023. The current Vice Chairman is United States Navy Admiral Christopher W. Grady, who assumed the role on December 20, 2021.

Relationship to the Chairman and the Joint Chiefs

The Vice Chairman operates as the Chairman's chief partner and alter ego within the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a body that also includes 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 Space Operations, and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau. While the service chiefs are responsible for organizing, training, and equipping their respective forces, the Chairman and Vice Chairman focus on joint warfighting and strategy across the Indo-Pacific, European, and other global combatant commands. The Vice Chairman does not have a vote in the Joint Chiefs of Staff deliberations but exercises all the powers of the Chairman in their absence, ensuring seamless strategic leadership.