Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( CJCS ) is , by U . S . law , the highest - ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces and is the principal military advisor to the President of the United States , the National Security Council , the Homeland Security Council , and the Secretary of Defense . While the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff outranks all other officers , he does not have operational command authority over the Armed Forces ; however , the Chairman does assist the President and the Secretary of Defense in exercising their command functions . The Chairman convenes the meetings and coordinates the efforts of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( JCS ) , an advisory body within the Department of Defense 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 , the Commandant of the Marine Corps , and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau . The Joint Staff is under the exclusive direction of the Chairman . Background . Authority . Although the office of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is considered very important and highly prestigious , neither the Chairman , the Vice Chairman , nor the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a body has any command authority over combatant forces . The Goldwater - Nichols Act places the chain of command from the President to the Secretary of Defense directly to the commanders of the Unified Combatant Command s . However the chiefs do have authority over personnel assignments and oversight over resources and personnel allocated to the combatant commands within their respective services . The Chairman may also transmit communications to the combatant commanders from the President and Secretary of Defense as well as allocate additional funding to the combatant commanders if necessary . He also performs all other functions prescribed under or allocates those duties and responsibilities to other officers in the joint staff under his name . Assistants . The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is assisted by the Joint Staff , lead by the Director of the Joint Staff , a three - star officer who is the Chairman ' s principal assistant in executing his duties . The Joint Staff is an organization composed of approximately equal numbers of officers contributed by the Army , the Navy and Marine Corps , and the Air Force , who have been assigned to assist the Chairman with the unified strategic direction , operation , and integration of the combatant land , naval , and air forces . The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is also advised on enlisted personnel matters by the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman who served 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 . Historical . 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 ) . He presided over meetings of what was called the Joint Chiefs of Staff , and Leahy ' s office was the precursor to the post of " Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff " . Appointment and rank . The Chairman is nominated by the President for appointment and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate . The Chairman and Vice Chairman may not be members of the same armed force service branch . However , the President may waive that restriction for a limited period of time in order to provide for the orderly transition of officers appointed to serve in those positions . The Chairman serves a two - year term of office at the pleasure of the President , but can be reappointed to serve two additional terms for a total of six years , as long as the Chairman has not previously served a term as Vice Chairman . In which case the Chairman would be limited to serving up to two terms . However , in a time of war or national emergency , there is no limit to how many times an officer can be reappointed to serve as Chairman . Historically , the Chairman has served two terms . By statute , the Chairman is appointed as a four - star general or admiral while holding office and assumes office on October 1 of odd - numbered years . Although the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , Omar Bradley , was eventually awarded a fifth star , the CJCS does not receive one by right , and Bradley ' s award was politically motivated so as to not allow his subordinate , Douglas MacArthur , to outrank him . In the 1990s , there were proposals in U . S . Department of Defense academic circles to bestow on the office of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff a five - star rank . According to the 2013 Military Pay Table effective 1 January 2013 , While serving as Chairman , Joint Chief of Staff / Vice Chairman , Joint Chief of Staff , Chief of Navy Operations , Commandant of the Marine Corps , Army / Air Force Chief of Staff , Commander of a unified or specified combatant command , basic pay is $ 20 , 937 . 90 monthly plus additional allowances . Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by Branch of Service . Note : This list does not include Chief of Staff to the CINC FADM Leahy and acting Chairman ADM Jeremiah .