Joint Chiefs of Staff - wikipedia Joint Chiefs of Staff For the South Korean group, see Joint Chiefs of Staff ( Republic of Korea ). Joint Chiefs of Staff JCS Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge Role Advisory board providing professional military advice to the Secretary of Defense and the President Established in practice 1942 Constituting instrument National Security Act of 1947 currently codified at 10 U.S.C. § 151 Predecessor entities Joint Board ( 1903 -- 1942 ) Members Chairman Joseph Dunford Vice Chairman Paul J. Selva Number of members Seven Administration Parent agency U.S. Department of Defense Staff organization The Joint Staff ( For the Chairman and the Vice Chairman ; the service chiefs and the NGB chief have their own staffs assisting them ) Seat The Pentagon The Joint Chiefs of Staff ( JCS ) is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council on military matters. The composition of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is defined by statute and consists of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( CJCS ), Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( VCJCS ), the Military Service Chiefs from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force, and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, all appointed by the President following Senate confirmation. Each of the individual Military Service Chiefs, outside their Joint Chiefs of Staff obligations, works directly for the Secretary of the Military Department concerned, i.e., Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Air Force. Following the Goldwater -- Nichols Act in 1986, the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not have operational command authority, either individually or collectively, as the chain of command goes from the President to the Secretary of Defense, and from the Secretary of Defense to the Commanders of the Combatant Commands. Goldwater -- Nichols also created the office of Vice Chairman, and the Chairman is now designated as the principal military adviser to the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President. The Joint Staff ( JS ) is a headquarters staff in the Pentagon, composed of personnel from each of the five armed services, that assists the Chairman and the Vice Chairman in discharging their responsibilities and is managed by the Director of the Joint Staff ( DJS ), who is a lieutenant general or Navy vice admiral. Contents 1 Role and responsibilities 1.1 Current members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 2 History 2.1 Joint Board 2.2 World War II 2.3 National Security Act of 1947 2.4 National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 3 Organization and leadership positions 3.1 Chairman 3.2 Vice Chairman 3.3 Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman 4 The Joint Staff 4.1 Directorates of the Joint Staff 5 Joint Chiefs of Staff : Civilian Awards 6 Coast Guard 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links Role and responsibilities The Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in December 2001. After the 1986 reorganization of the military undertaken by the Goldwater - Nichols Act, the Joint Chiefs of Staff does not have operational command of U.S. military forces. Responsibility for conducting military operations goes from the President to the Secretary of Defense directly to the commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands and thus bypasses the Joint Chiefs of Staff completely. Today, their primary responsibility is to ensure the personnel readiness, policy, planning and training of their respective military services for the combatant commanders to utilize. The Joint Chiefs of Staff also act in a military advisory capacity for the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense. In addition, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff acts as the chief military advisor to the President and the Secretary of Defense. In this strictly advisory role, the Joint Chiefs constitute the second - highest deliberatory body for military policy, after the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council, which includes the President and other officials besides the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. While serving as chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Army, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Chief of Naval Operations, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, or Commandant of the Coast Guard, the salary is $15,583.20 a month, regardless of cumulative years of service completed under section 205 of title 37, United States Code. Current members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Position Photograph Name Service Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph F. Dunford United States Marine Corps Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Paul J. Selva United States Air Force Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Mark A. Milley United States Army Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller United States Marine Corps Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John M. Richardson United States Navy Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein United States Air Force Chief of the National Guard Bureau Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel United States Air Force Notes : The Joint Chiefs do not include the Commandant of the Coast Guard because the Coast Guard is normally under the Department of Homeland Security, where the other four branches are under the Department of Defense. However, the Coast Guard is always a military service ( 14 United States Code, section 1 ) and may operate under the Department of the Navy during wartime. The commandant of the Coast Guard is however, occasionally invited by the chairman to attend meetings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. History Joint Board As the military of the United States grew in size following the American Civil War, joint military action between the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy became increasingly difficult. The Army and Navy were unsupportive of each other at either the planning or operational level and were constrained by disagreements during the Spanish -- American War in the Caribbean campaigns. The Joint Army and Navy Board was established in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, comprising representatives from the military heads and chief planners of both the Navy 's General Board and the Army 's General Staff. The Joint Board acting as an `` advisory committee '' was created to plan joint operations and resolve problems of common rivalry between the two services. Yet, the Joint Board accomplished little as its charter gave it no authority to enforce its decisions. The Joint Board also lacked the ability to originate its own opinions and was thus limited to commenting only on the problems submitted to it by the Secretaries of War and Navy. As a result, the Joint Board had little to no impact on the manner the United States conducted World War I. After World War I, in 1919 the two Secretaries agreed to reestablish and revitalize the Joint Board. The mission of the General staff was to develop plans for mobilization for the next war ; the US was always designated `` Blue '' and potential enemies were assigned various other colors. This time, the Joint Board 's membership would include the Chiefs of Staff, their deputies, and the Chief of War Plans Division for the Army and Director of Plans Division for the Navy. Under the Joint Board would be a staff called the Joint Planning Committee to serve the Board. Along with new membership, the Joint Board could initiate recommendations on its own initiative. However, the Joint Board still did not possess the legal authority to enforce its decisions. World War II Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting ( circa 1943 ). From left to right are : Gen. Henry H. Arnold, Chief of the Army Air Forces ; Adm. William D. Leahy, Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy ; Adm. Ernest J. King, Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations ; and Gen. George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff of the United States Army. President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Winston Churchill established the Combined Chiefs of Staff ( CCS ) during the 1942 Arcadia Conference. The CCS would serve as the supreme military body for strategic direction of the combined US - British Empire war effort. The UK portion of the CCS would be composed of the British Chiefs of Staff Committee, but the United States had no equivalent body. The Joint Board 's lack of authority made it of little use to the CCS, although its 1935 publication, Joint Action of the Army and Navy, did give some guidance for the joint operations during World War II. The Joint Board had little influence during the war and was ultimately disbanded in 1947. As a counterpart to the UK 's Chiefs of Staff Committee in the CCS, and to provide better coordinated effort and coordinated staff work for America 's military effort, Admiral William D. Leahy proposed a `` unified high command '' in what would come to be called the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Modeled on the British Chiefs of Staff Committee, the JCS ' first formal meeting was held on 9 February 1942, to coordinate U.S. military operations between War and Navy Departments. The official history of the Army Air Forces noted that although there was `` no official charter establishing this committee... by the end of February it had assumed responsibilities toward the American war effort comparable to the CCS on the combined level. '' On 20 July 1942, Admiral Leahy became the Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy ( `` Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States '' is the military title of the U.S. President, per Article II, § 2, of the Constitution ), with the chiefs of staff of the services serving under his leadership. The first members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were : Name Service Position Admiral William D. Leahy USN Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy and Special Presidential Military Advisor General George C. Marshall USA Chief of Staff of the United States Army ( CSUSA ) Admiral Ernest J. King USN Commander in Chief of the United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations ( COMINCH - CNO ) General Hap H. Arnold USA Chief of the Army Air Forces and Deputy Chief of Staff for Air As the table indicates, each of the members of the original Joint Chiefs was a four - star flag officer in his respective service branch. By the end of the war, however, each had been promoted : Leahy and King to Fleet Admiral ; Marshall and Arnold to General of the Army. Arnold was later appointed to the grade of General of the Air Force. One of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 's committees was the Joint Strategic Survey Committee ( JSSC ). The JSSC was an extraordinary JCS committee that existed from 1942 until 1947. It was `` one of the most influential planning agencies in the wartime armed forces. '' Members included Lieutenant General Stanley D. Embick, U.S. Army, chairman, 1942 --, Vice Admiral Russell Willson, U.S. Navy, 1942 -- 1945, Vice Admiral Theodore Stark Wilkinson, U.S. Navy, 1946, and Major General Muir S. Fairchild, U.S. Army Air Force, 1942 --. National Security Act of 1947 The Joint Chiefs of Staff and several Commanders in Chief gathered at the Pentagon on 1 July 1983. With the end of World War II, the Joint Chiefs of Staff was officially established under the National Security Act of 1947. Per the National Security Act, the JCS consisted of a chairman, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force ( which was established as a separate service by the same Act ), and the Chief of Naval Operations. The Commandant of the Marine Corps was to be consulted on matters concerning the Corps, but was not a regular member ; General Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., Commandant in 1952 -- 55, was the first to sit as an occasional member. The law was amended during the term of General Louis H. Wilson, Jr. ( 1975 -- 79 ), making the Commandant a full - time JCS member in parity with the other three DoD services. The position of vice-chairman was created by the Goldwater -- Nichols Act of 1986 to complement the CJCS, as well as to delegate some of the chairman 's responsibilities, particularly resource allocation through the Joint Requirements Oversight Council ( JROC ). General Colin L. Powell ( 1989 -- 93 ) was the first and, as of 2011, the only African American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Peter Pace ( Vice chairman 2001 -- 05 ; Chairman, 2005 -- 07 ) was the first Marine to serve in either position. No woman has ever served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 A provision in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act added the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Guard historians called it the `` most significant development '' for the National Guard since the Militia Act of 1903. Organization and leadership positions Chairman Main article : Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is, by law, the highest - ranking military officer of the United States Armed Forces, and the principal military adviser to the President of the United States. He leads the meetings and coordinates the efforts of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, comprising the chairman, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have offices in The Pentagon. The chairman outranks all respective heads of each service branch, but does not have command authority over them, their service branches or the Unified Combatant Commands. All combatant commanders receive operational orders directly from the Secretary of Defense. The current chairman is General Joseph Dunford, USMC, who began his term on October 1, 2015. On 20 July 1942, Navy Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy became the Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy ( 20 July 1942 -- 21 March 1949 ). He was not technically the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Leahy 's office was the precursor to the post of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. That post was established and first held by General of the Army Omar Bradley in 1949. Vice Chairman Main article : Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The position of Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was created by the Goldwater - Nichols Act of 1986. The vice-chairman is a four - star - general or admiral and, by law, is the second highest - ranking member of the U.S. Armed Forces ( after the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ). In the absence of the chairman, the vice-chairman presides over the meetings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He may also perform such duties as the chairman may prescribe. It was not until the National Defense Authorization Act in 1992 that the position was made a full voting member of the JCS. The current vice-chairman is General Paul J. Selva, USAF. Senior Enlisted advisor to the Chairman Main article : Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman The Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( SEAC ) advises on all matters concerning joint and combined total force integration, utilization, development, and helps develop noncommissioned officers related joint professional education, enhance utilization of senior NCOs on joint battle staffs, and support the chairman 's responsibilities as directed. Command Sergeant Major William Gainey, USA, was the first SEAC, serving from October 1, 2005. The current SEAC is Command Sergeant Major John W. Troxell, US Army, who was sworn in by Joint Chiefs Chairman General Joseph Dunford on December 11, 2015, replacing Sergeant Major Bryan B. Battaglia, USMC. The Joint Staff The Joint Staff Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge Agency overview Formed 1949 Headquarters The Pentagon Employees Approx. 1,500 Agency executive Lt. Gen. William C. Mayville, Jr. ( DJS ) Parent agency Department of Defense The Joint Staff Organization Chart as of January 2012. The Joint Chiefs of Staff ( seated ) and the directors of the Joint Staff directorates ( standing ), November 1989. The Joint Staff ( JS ) is a military headquarters staff based at the Pentagon, composed of personnel from all the five armed services, assisting the Chairman and the Vice Chairman in discharging their responsibilities. They work closely with the Office of the Secretary of Defense ( OSD ), the Military Department staffs, and the Combatant Command Staffs. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is assisted by the Director of the Joint Staff, a three - star officer who assists the chairman with the management of the Joint Staff, an organization composed of approximately equal numbers of officers contributed by the Army, the Navy and Marine Corps, the Air Force, and the Coast Guard, who have been assigned to assist the chairman in providing to the Secretary of Defense unified strategic direction, operation, and integration of the combatant land, naval, and air forces. Directorates of the Joint Staff The Joint Staff includes the following departments where all the planning, policies, intelligence, manpower, communications and logistics functions are translated into action. Joint Staff Information Management Division ( United States ) DOM -- Directorate of Management J1 -- Personnel and Manpower J2 -- Intelligence The National Military Joint Intelligence Center ( NMJIC ) is part of the J2 directorate J3 -- Operations The National Military Command Center ( NMCC ) is part of the J3 directorate J4 -- Logistics J5 -- Strategic Plans and Policy J6 -- Command, Control, Communications and Computers / Cyber -- The J - 6 directorate is one of a group of agencies that administer the SIPRNet. Other administrators include : National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, and Defense Information Systems Agency. The J - 6 chairs the DOD 's Military Communications - Electronic Board, which works in conjunction with the multinational Combined Communications Electronic Board. The J - 6 Joint Deployable Analysis Team ( JDAT ) conducts assessments in conjunction with Combatant Command exercises, experiments, and test and evaluation events. J7 -- Operational Plans and Joint Force Development J8 -- Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment Joint Chiefs of Staff : civilian awards The Joint Chiefs may recognize private citizens, organizations or career civilian government employees for significant achievements provided to the joint community with one of the following decorations / awards. CJCS Award for Distinguished Public Service ( DPS ) CJCS Award for Outstanding Public Service ( OPS ) CJCS Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award CJCS Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award ( JCSCA ) Joint Civilian Service Achievement Award ( JCSAA ) Coast Guard Although the Coast Guard is one of the five armed services of the United States, the Commandant of the Coast Guard is not a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Commandant is, however, entitled to the same supplemental pay as the Joint Chiefs, per 37 U.S.C. § 414 ( a ) ( 5 ) ( $4,000 per annum in 2009 ), and is accorded privilege of the floor under Senate Rule XXIII ( 1 ) as a de facto JCS member during Presidential addresses. In contrast to the Joint Chiefs -- who are not in the military 's operational chain of command, the Commandant of the Coast Guard commands his service. Coast Guard officers are legally eligible to be appointed as CJCS and VCJCS, per 10 U.S.C. 152 ( a ) ( 1 ) & 154 ( a ) ( 1 ) respectively -- which use the collective term `` armed forces '' rather than listing the eligible services -- but none has been appointed to either position as of 2016. The Coast Guard does have one officer who was appointed in 2016 to the Joint Staff who currently serves as J6. See also Military of the United States portal Armed Forces Council ( Canada ) Chiefs of Staff Committee ( United Kingdom ) Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee ( Pakistan ) General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces Joint Chiefs of Staff ( Republic of Korea ) Staff ( military ) -- see Modern United States military usage for organization of Joint Staff ( J1 through J8 ) References ^ Jump up to : `` Top Guard officer joins Joint Chiefs of Staff ''. Army Times. 4 January 2012. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) 10 USC 151. Joint Chiefs of Staff : composition ; functions Jump up ^ 10 U.S.C. § 3033 Archived 12 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ 10 U.S.C. § 5033 Archived 12 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ 10 U.S.C. § 5043 Archived 12 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ 10 U.S.C. § 8033 Archived 12 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ 10 U.S.C. § 162 ( b ) Archived 29 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ 10 U.S.C § 151 ( b ) Archived 12 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ 10 U.S.C § 155 Archived 12 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` 2017 Military Pay Scale ''. Military Factory. May 2017. Jump up ^ The Changing of the Guard ^ Jump up to : Allan R. Millett, Semper Fidelis : The History of the United States Marine Corps, 1980 ; pg. 269, para. 2. Jump up ^ p26 John H. Bradley, Thomas E. Griess, Jack W. Dice, United States Military Academy, Dept. of History : The Second World War : Asia and the Pacific Square One Publishers, Inc., 2002 ^ Jump up to : Cline, Ray S. ( 1990 ). United States Army in World War II -- The War Department -- Washington Command Post : The Operations Division ; Chapter VI. Organizing The High Command For World War II `` Development of the Joint and Combined Chiefs of Staff System ''. Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, D.C. pp. 98 -- 104. Retrieved 5 January 2012. Jump up ^ Leighton, Richard M. ; Robert W Coakley ( 1995 ). United States Army in World War II -- The War Department -- Global Logistics and Strategy 1940 -- 1943. Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, D.C. p. 144. Retrieved 5 January 2012. Jump up ^ Craven, James ( 1948 ). United States Army Air Forces in World War II -- Volume I Plans and Early Operations Jan 1939 - Aug 1941 ; Chapter 7. Establishment of the Fundamental Bases of Strategy ( PDF ). AFHRA, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. p. 254. Retrieved 15 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Washington Eats ''. Life. 5 October 1942. p. 95. Retrieved 20 November 2011. Jump up ^ Mark. A. Stoler, `` From Continentalism to Globalism : General Stanley D. Embick, the Joint Strategic Survey Committee, and the Military View of American National Policy during the Second World War, '' Diplomatic History, vol. 6, no. 3 ( July 1982 ), pp. 303 -- 320, quote at p. 307 Jump up ^ ( 2 ) 10 USC 152. Chairman : appointment ; grade and rank ^ Jump up to : ( 3 ) 10 USC 152 ( c ). Chairman : appointment ; grade and rank -- Grade and Rank. Jump up ^ ( 4 ) 10 USC 162. Combatant commands : assigned forces ; chain of command Jump up ^ About the Joint Chiefs Archived 5 July 2006 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ jcs.mil Archived 3 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` J6 Page at jcs.mil ''. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Jump up ^ Gibson, Tim ( 2003 ). `` SIPRNET connectivity : do 's and don'ts ''. Army Communicator. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 2015 - 03 - 14. Jump up ^ DoD Budget p. 33 Jump up ^ ( 5 ) Archived 29 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Further reading Gillespie, Robert M. The Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Escalation of the Vietnam Conflict, 1964 -- 1965. Masters Thesis, Clemson University, 1994. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Organizational Development of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1942 -- 1987. Joint Secretariat, Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1988. Jordan, Jonathan W., American Warlords : How Roosevelt 's High Command Led America to Victory in World War II ( NAL / Caliber 2015 ). McMaster, H.R. Dereliction of Duty : Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies that Led to Vietnam. New York : Harper Collins, 1997. Perry, Mark Four Stars : The Inside Story of the Forty - Year Battle Between the Joint Chiefs of Staff and America 's Civilian Leaders. New York : Houghton Mifflin, 1989, ISBN 0 - 395 - 42923 - 4. Rearden, Steven L. History of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. 2 vols. Washington, D.C. : Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, 1984. Schnabel, James F. History of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Joint Chiefs of Staff and National Policy 1945 -- 1947. Volume I. Washington, D.C. : Joint History Office, The Joint Staff, 1996. Taylor, Maxwell D. The Uncertain Trumpet. New York : Harper & Row, 1959. External links Listen to this article ( info / dl ) This audio file was created from a revision of the article `` Joint Chiefs of Staff '' dated 2015 - 09 - 06, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ( Audio help ) More spoken articles Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joint Chiefs of Staff. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:En-Joint_Chiefs_of_Staff-article.ogg Spoken Wikipedia - English Official site Joint Action of the Army and the Navy ( 1935 Joint Board publication ) Joint Chiefs of Staff on the Internet Archive United States Joint Chiefs of Staff Dunford ( Chairman ) Selva ( Vice Chairman ) Milley ( Army ) Richardson ( Navy ) Neller ( Marine Corps ) Goldfein ( Air Force ) Lengyel ( National Guard ) United States Department of Defense Headquarters : The Pentagon James Mattis, Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan, Deputy Secretary of Defense Office of the Secretary of Defense ( including Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities ) Deputy Secretary of Defense Deputy 's Advisory Working Group Office of Net Assessment Special Access Program Oversight Committee Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Director, Defense Research and Engineering Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Missile Defense Agency Defense Contract Management Agency Defense Logistics Agency Defense Technical Information Center Defense Threat Reduction Agency Office of Economic Adjustment Defense Acquisition University Defense Acquisition Board Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Defense Security Cooperation Agency Defense POW / MIA Accounting Agency Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee Under Secretary of Defense ( Comptroller ) Defense Contract Audit Agency Defense Finance and Accounting Service Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Defense Commissary Agency Department of Defense Education Activity DoD Human Resources Activity Military Health System Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Defense Intelligence Agency Defense Security Service Defense Information Systems Agency National Geospatial - Intelligence Agency National Reconnaissance Office National Security Agency ( Director ) Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Defense Media Activity ( American Forces Press Service, American Forces Radio and Television Service, Stars and Stripes, The Pentagon Channel ) General Counsel of the Department of Defense Defense Legal Services Agency Director of Administration and Management Pentagon Force Protection Agency Washington Headquarters Services Military Departments Department of the Army Secretary of the Army The Secretariat : Under Secretary of the Army Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology Assistant Secretary for Civil Works Assistant Secretary ( Financial Management and Comptroller ) Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs General Counsel of the Army The Administrative Assistant The Army Staff : Chief of Staff of the Army Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Sergeant Major of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff G - 8 Chief of Chaplains Judge Advocate General Provost Marshal General Surgeon General U.S. Army field organizations : see Structure of the United States Army Department of the Navy Secretary of the Navy The Secretariat : Under Secretary of the Navy Assistant Secretary of the Navy ( Financial Management and Comptroller ) Assistant Secretary of the Navy ( Installations and Environment ) Assistant Secretary of the Navy ( Manpower and Reserve Affairs ) Assistant Secretary of the Navy ( Research, Development and Acquisitions ) General Counsel of the Navy Judge Advocate General Naval Criminal Investigative Service Naval Inspector General Headquarters Marine Corps : Commandant of the Marine Corps Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Chaplain U.S. Marine Corps field organizations : see Organization of the United States Marine Corps Office of the Chief of Naval Operations : Chief of Naval Operations Vice Chief of Naval Operations Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Director of Naval Reactors Chief of Chaplains Chief of Naval Personnel Surgeon General United States Navy field organizations : see Structure of the United States Navy Department of the Air Force Secretary of the Air Force The Secretariat : Under Secretary of the Air Force Assistant Secretary of the Air Force ( Acquisition ) Assistant Secretary of the Air Force ( Financial Management & Comptroller ) Assistant Secretary of the Air Force ( Installations, Environment & Logistics ) Assistant Secretary of the Air Force ( Manpower & Reserve Affairs ) General Counsel of the Air Force Air Force Office of Special Investigations The Air Staff : Chief of Staff of the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Chief of Chaplains Chief of Safety Chief Scientist Judge Advocate General Surgeon General U.S. Air Force field organizations : Major Commands Direct Reporting Units Field Operating Agencies Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman Joint Requirements Oversight Council Director of the Joint Staff Joint Staff National Military Command Center Alternate National Military Command Center National Defense University Combatant Commands Africa Command Central Command European Command Northern Command Pacific Command Southern Command Special Operations Command Strategic Command ( Cyber Command ) Transportation Command National Guard Bureau Chief of the National Guard Bureau Air National Guard Army National Guard Office of the Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service United States Armed Forces Book Portal MC AF CG MC AF CG Navbox MC AF CG Leadership Commander - in - chief : President of the United States Secretary of Defense Deputy Secretary of Defense Secretary of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Joint Chiefs of Staff : Chairman Vice Chairman United States Congress : Committees on Armed Services : Senate House Active duty four - star officers Highest ranking officers in history National Security Act of 1947 Goldwater -- Nichols Act Organization Service departments Department of Defense ( Secretary ) : Army ( Secretary ) Navy ( Secretary ) Air Force ( Secretary ) Department of Homeland Security ( Secretary ) : Coast Guard Branches Army ( Chief of Staff ) Marine Corps ( Commandant ) Navy ( Chief of Naval Operations ) Air Force ( Chief of Staff ) Coast Guard ( Commandant ) Reserve components Reserves : A MC N AF CG National Guard : A AF Civilian auxiliaries Military Auxiliary Radio System Merchant Marine Civil Air Patrol Coast Guard Auxiliary Unified Combatant Command Northern Central European Pacific Southern Africa Special Operations Strategic Transportation Structure United States Code Title 10 Title 14 Title 32 Title 50 The Pentagon Installations Units : A MC N AF CG Logistics Media Unit mottoes Operations and history Current deployments Conflicts Wars Timeline History : A MC N AF CG Colonial World War II Civil affairs African Americans Asian Americans Buddhist Americans Jewish Americans Muslim Americans Pakistani Americans Sikh Americans Historiography : A : 1 / 2 MC N AF Art : A AF Personnel Training MEPS ASVAB Recruit training : A MC N AF CG Officer candidate school : A MC N AF Warrant : A MC Service academies : A ( prep ) N ( prep ) AF ( prep ) CG Merchant Marine ROTC A : ECP MC / N AF Medical Other education Uniforms Uniforms : A MC N AF CG Awards & decorations : Inter-service A MC / N AF CG Foreign International Devices Badges : Identification A MC N AF CG Ranks Enlisted : A MC N AF CG Warrant officers Officer : A MC N AF CG Other Oath : Enlistment Office Creeds & Codes : Code of Conduct NCO A MC N AF CG Service numbers : A MC N AF CG Military Occupational Specialty / Rating / Air Force Specialty Code Pay Uniform Code of Military Justice Judge Advocate General 's Corps Military Health System / TRICARE Separation Veterans Affairs Conscription Chiefs of Chaplains : A MC N AF CG Equipment MC : vehicles weapons other AF CG Land Individual weapons Crew - served weapons Vehicles ( active ) Sea All watercraft Ships : A N ( active ) AF CG MSC Weapons : N CG Aircraft : N CG Reactors Air Aircraft World War I active Aircraft designation Missiles Helicopter arms Other Nuclear football Electronics ( designations ) Flags : A MC N AF CG Ensign Jack Guidons Food WMDs : Nuclear Biological Chemical Legend A = Army MC = Marine Corps N = Navy AF = Air Force CG = Coast Guard Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joint_Chiefs_of_Staff&oldid=807945928 '' Categories : Joint Chiefs of Staff United States Department of Defense officials Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Use dmy dates from June 2013 Spoken articles Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Dansk Deutsch Español Esperanto Français 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Lietuvių Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Slovenščina Suomi Svenska ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 31 October 2017, at 00 : 02. 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Question: who is the highest ranking military officer today
Answer: President