# Director of the Joint Staff

The director of the Joint Staff (DJS) is a three-star officer who assists the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a cabinet of senior military officers within the United States Armed Forces who advise the secretary of defense and the president on military matters. The director assists the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in managing the Joint Staff and with the management and organization of the staff's members. The director also chairs meetings of the Operations Deputies, a subsidiary body comprising the director and a three-star delegate from each service who preview or resolve issues before they are escalated to the four-star level of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The director of the Joint Staff is selected by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in consultation with the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and subject to the approval of the secretary of defense. As with all three- and four-star positions, the director's appointment is subject to presidential nomination and Senate confirmation.
The position of director is considered one of the most desirable three-star positions in the United States military establishment, for the position has historically served as a stepping stone to a four-star position. As of January 2024, 38 of the 49 past directors and one past acting director, have been promoted to four-star rank. Many of them have been promoted to four-star rank within a year of leaving the position.
The current director of the Joint Staff is Lieutenant General Douglas A. Sims II.

## List of directors of the Joint Staff

This is a complete list of the directors of the Joint Staff. An asterisk (*) indicates an acting Director.
Of the 41 directors of the Joint Staff as of 2012, 30 have been promoted to four-star rank while on active duty, as has one acting director; and a 31st former director was promoted to that rank upon retirement. Moreover, 22 of the last 23 directors have been promoted to four-star rank within a year of leaving the Joint Staff.
| No. | Director | Director | Term | Term | Term | Service branch | Notes |
| No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | Service branch | Notes |
| 1 | | Major General Alfred M. Gruenther | 17 September 1947 | 19 September 1949 | 2 years, 2 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 1951. |
| 2 | | Rear Admiral Arthur C. Davis | 20 September 1949 | 1 November 1951 | 2 years, 42 days | U.S. Navy | Promoted to admiral on retirement, 1955. |
| 3 | | Lieutenant General Charles P. Cabell | 2 November 1951 | 23 April 1953 | 1 year, 172 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 1958. |
| 4 | | Lieutenant General Frank F. Everest | 24 April 1953 | 18 March 1954 | 328 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 1957. |
| 5 | | Lieutenant General Lemuel Mathewson | 19 March 1954 | 14 March 1956 | 1 year, 361 days | U.S. Army | Retired, 1958. |
| 6 | | Vice Admiral Bernard L. Austin | 15 March 1956 | 31 March 1958 | 2 years, 16 days | U.S. Navy | Retired, 1968. |
| 7 | | Lieutenant General Oliver S. Picher | 1 April 1958 | 31 March 1960 | 1 year, 365 days | U.S. Air Force | Retired, 1960. |
| 8 | | Lieutenant General Earle Wheeler | 1 April 1960 | 24 February 1962 | 1 year, 329 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 1962. |
| 9 | | Vice Admiral Herbert D. Riley | 25 February 1962 | 23 February 1964 | 1 year, 363 days | U.S. Navy | Retired, 1964. |
| 10 | | Lieutenant General David A. Burchinal | 24 February 1964 | 31 July 1966 | 2 years, 157 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 1966. |
| 11 | | Lieutenant General Andrew J. Goodpaster | 1 August 1966 | 31 March 1967 | 242 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 1968. |
| 12 | | Lieutenant General Berton E. Spivy | 1 April 1967 | 31 July 1968 | 1 year, 121 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 1968. |
| 13 | | Vice Admiral Nels C. Johnson | 1 August 1968 | 19 July 1970 | 1 year, 352 days | U.S. Navy | Retired, 1970. |
| 14 | | Lieutenant General John W. Vogt | 20 July 1970 | 7 April 1972 | 1 year, 262 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 1972. |
| – | | Rear Admiral Mason B. Freeman Acting | 8 April 1972 | 11 June 1972 | 64 days | U.S. Navy | Retired, 1979. |
| 15 | | Lieutenant General George M. Seignious II | 12 June 1972 | 31 May 1974 | 1 year, 353 days | U.S. Army | Retired, 1974. |
| 16 | | Vice Admiral Harry D. Train II | 1 June 1974 | 30 June 1976 | 2 years, 29 days | U.S. Navy | Promoted to admiral, 1978. |
| 17 | | Lieutenant General Ray B. Sitton | 1 July 1976 | 30 June 1977 | 364 days | U.S. Air Force | Retired, 1977. |
| 18 | | Vice Admiral Patrick J. Hannifin | 1 July 1977 | 20 June 1978 | 354 days | U.S. Navy | Retired, 1978. |
| – | | Major General John A. Wickham Jr. Acting | 1 July 1978 | 21 August 1978 | 51 days | U.S. Army | Appointed as 19th director. |
| 19 | | Lieutenant General John A. Wickham Jr. | 22 August 1978 | 22 June 1979 | 304 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 1979. |
| 20 | | Vice Admiral C. Thor Hanson | 22 June 1979 | 30 June 1981 | 2 years, 8 days | U.S. Navy | Retired, 1982. |
| 21 | | Lieutenant General James E. Dalton | 1 July 1981 | 30 June 1983 | 1 year, 364 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 1983. |
| 22 | | Lieutenant General Jack N. Merritt | 1 July 1983 | 30 June 1985 | 1 year, 364 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 1985. |
| 23 | | Vice Admiral Powell F. Carter Jr. | 1 July 1985 | 14 August 1987 | 2 years, 44 days | U.S. Navy | Promoted to admiral, 1987. |
| 24 | | Lieutenant General Robert W. RisCassi | 15 August 1987 | 30 November 1988 | 1 year, 107 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 1988. |
| 25 | | Lieutenant General Hansford T. Johnson | 1 December 1988 | 20 September 1989 | 293 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 1989. |
| – | | Major General Gene A. Deegan Acting | 21 September 1989 | 26 September 1989 | 5 days | U.S. Marine Corps | Retired, 1991. |
| 26 | | Lieutenant General Michael P.C. Carns | 27 September 1989 | 16 May 1991 | 1 year, 231 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 1991. |
| 27 | | Lieutenant General Henry Viccellio Jr. | 17 May 1991 | 1 December 1992 | 1 year, 198 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 1992. |
| 28 | | Vice Admiral Richard C. Macke | 1 December 1992 | 17 July 1994 | 1 year, 228 days | U.S. Navy | Promoted to admiral, 1994. |
| – | | Major General Charles T. Robertson Jr. Acting | 18 July 1994 | 24 July 1994 | 6 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 1998. |
| 29 | | Lieutenant General Walter Kross | 25 July 1994 | 12 July 1996 | 1 year, 353 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 1996. |
| – | | Major General Carlton W. Fulford Jr. Acting | 13 July 1996 | 13 September 1996 | 62 days | U.S. Marine Corps | Later appointed as the 32nd director. |
| 30 | | Vice Admiral Dennis C. Blair | 14 September 1996 | 12 December 1998 | 2 years, 89 days | U.S. Navy | Promoted to admiral, 1999. |
| 31 | | Vice Admiral Vern Clark | 13 December 1998 | 26 July 1999 | 225 days | U.S. Navy | Promoted to admiral, 1999. |
| 32 | | Lieutenant General Carlton W. Fulford Jr. | 27 July 1999 | 14 July 2000 | 353 days | U.S. Marine Corps | Promoted to general, 2000. |
| 33 | | Vice Admiral Scott Fry | 15 July 2000 | 15 October 2001 | 1 year, 92 days | U.S. Navy | Retired, 2003. |
| 34 | | Lieutenant General John P. Abizaid | 16 October 2001 | 23 January 2003 | 1 year, 99 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 2003. |
| 35 | | Lieutenant General George W. Casey Jr. | 24 January 2003 | 15 October 2003 | 287 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 2003. |
| 36 | | Vice Admiral Timothy J. Keating | 16 October 2003 | 20 October 2004 | 1 year, 4 days | U.S. Navy | Promoted to admiral, 2004. |
| 37 | | Lieutenant General Norton A. Schwartz | 21 October 2004 | 29 August 2005 | 312 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 2005. |
| 38 | | Lieutenant General Walter L. Sharp | 30 August 2005 | 22 June 2008 | 2 years, 326 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 2008. |
| – | | Major General Stephen M. Goldfein Acting | 23 June 2008 | 10 August 2008 | 48 days | U.S. Air Force | Brother of the 43rd director, David L. Goldfein. |
| 39 | | Lieutenant General Stanley A. McChrystal | 11 August 2008 | 11 June 2009 | 304 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 2009. |
| - | | Rear Admiral Bruce E. Grooms Acting | 12 June 2009 | 8 August 2009 | 57 days | U.S. Navy | Retired, 2015. |
| 40 | | Lieutenant General Lloyd Austin | 9 August 2009 | 13 July 2010 | 338 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 2010. |
| 41 | | Vice Admiral William E. Gortney | 14 July 2010 | 8 August 2012 | 2 years, 25 days | U.S. Navy | Promoted to admiral, 2012. |
| 42 | | Lieutenant General Curtis M. Scaparrotti | 9 August 2012 | 11 August 2013 | 1 year, 2 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 2013. |
| 43 | | Lieutenant General David L. Goldfein | 12 August 2013 | 31 July 2015 | 1 year, 353 days | U.S. Air Force | Brother of acting director, Stephen M. Goldfein. Promoted to general, 2015. |
| 44 | | Lieutenant General William C. Mayville Jr. | 1 August 2015 | 30 July 2017 | 1 year, 363 days | U.S. Army | Retired, 2018. |
| 45 | | Lieutenant General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. | 31 July 2017 | 28 February 2019 | 1 year, 212 days | U.S. Marine Corps | Promoted to general, 2019. |
| 46 | | Vice Admiral Michael M. Gilday | 1 March 2019 | 17 July 2019 | 138 days | U.S. Navy | Promoted to admiral, 2019. |
| – | | Major General Glen D. VanHerck Acting | 18 July 2019 | 26 September 2019 | 70 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to director. |
| 47 | | Lieutenant General Glen D. VanHerck | 27 September 2019 | 3 August 2020 | 311 days | U.S. Air Force | Promoted to general, 2020. |
| – | | Rear Admiral William D. Byrne Jr. Acting | 3 August 2020 | 30 September 2020 | 58 days | U.S. Navy | Vice director of the Joint Staff from September 2019 to May 2021. |
| 48 | | Lieutenant General Andrew P. Poppas | 1 October 2020 | 2 June 2022 | 1 year, 244 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 2022. |
| 49 | | Lieutenant General James J. Mingus | 2 June 2022 | 3 January 2024 | 1 year, 215 days | U.S. Army | Promoted to general, 2024. |
| 50 | | Lieutenant General Douglas A. Sims II | 3 January 2024 | Incumbent | 1 year, 62 days | U.S. Army | Served as Director for Operations (J3), the Joint Staff. |