Admiral Michael Mullen, USN
17^th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

flag of the Chairman

Joint Chiefs of Staff insignia

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is by law the highest ranking military officer overall in the United States Armed Forces ^[1], and the principal military adviser to the President of the United States. The Chairman outranks all respective heads of each service branch but does not have command authority over them or their service branches ^[1]. He leads the meetings and coordinates the efforts of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), comprising the Chairman, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chiefs of Staff of the United States Army and United States Air Force, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps ^[2]. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have offices in The Pentagon.

Although the office of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is considered very important and highly prestigious, neither the Chairman nor the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a body have any command authority over combatant forces. The chain of command runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense directly to the commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands ^[3]. However, the Chairman may transmit communications to the combatant commanders from the President and Secretary of Defense ^[4] as well as allocate additional funding to the combatant commanders if necessary ^[5]. He also performs all other functions prescribed under or allocates those duties and responsibilities to other officers in the joint staff under his name.

Since 2005, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff has been advised on enlisted personnel matters by the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman who serves as a communication conduit between the Chairman and the senior enlisted advisors (sergeants major, command master chief petty officers, and command chief master sergeants) of the combatant commands.

Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, USN, served as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy (July 20, 1942?March 21 1949). Leahy's office was the precursor to the post of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Chairman is nominated by the President for appointment and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate ^[1]. By statute, the Chairman is appointed as a four-star general or admiral ^[1].

Chief of Staff to the CINC

	Name	Photo	Branch	Term began	Term ended
1.	FADM William D. Leahy		USN	July 20, 1942	March 21 1949

Chairmen of the JCS

	Name	Photo	Branch	Term began	Term ended	Appointed By
1.	General of the Army Omar Bradley		USA	August 16, 1949	August 15 1953	President Harry Truman
2.	ADM Arthur W. Radford		USN	August 15 1953	August 15 1957	President Dwight D. Eisenhower
3.	Gen Nathan F. Twining		USAF	August 15 1957	September 30, 1960	President Dwight D. Eisenhower
4.	GEN Lyman Lemnitzer		USA	October 1, 1960	September 30, 1962	President Dwight D. Eisenhower
5.	GEN Maxwell D. Taylor		USA	October 1, 1962	July 1, 1964	President John F. Kennedy
6.	GEN Earle Wheeler		USA	July 3, 1964	July 2, 1970	President Lyndon B. Johnson
7.	ADM Thomas H. Moorer		USN	July 2, 1970	July 1, 1974	President Richard Nixon
8.	Gen George S. Brown		USAF	July 1, 1974	June 20, 1978	President Richard Nixon
9.	Gen David C. Jones		USAF	June 21, 1978	June 18, 1982	President Jimmy Carter
10.	GEN John W. Vessey Jr.		USA	June 18, 1982	September 30, 1985	President Ronald Reagan
11.	ADM William J. Crowe, Jr.		USN	October 1, 1985	September 30, 1989	President Ronald Reagan
12.	GEN Colin Powell		USA	October 1, 1989	September 30, 1993	President George H.W. Bush
(acting)	ADM David E. Jeremiah		USN	October 1, 1993	October 24, 1993	President Bill Clinton
13.	GEN John Shalikashvili		USA	October 25, 1993	September 30, 1997	President Bill Clinton
14.	GEN Hugh Shelton		USA	October 1, 1997	September 30, 2001	President Bill Clinton
15.	Gen Richard B. Myers		USAF	October 1, 2001	September 30, 2005	President George W. Bush
16.	Gen Peter Pace		USMC	October 1, 2005	September 30, 2007	President George W. Bush
17.	ADM Michael Mullen		USN	October 1, 2007	Incumbent	President George W. Bush

Chief of Staff by Branch of Service

• Air Force - 4
• Army - 8
• Marine Corps - 1
• Navy - 4

Note: The above list does not include FADM Leahy and ADM Jeremiah.

Notes

External links

• Official site

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