Chief of the Joint General Staff

Seal of the Joint General Staff

Flag of the Chief of the Joint General Staff

**Incumbent**
General Doãn Trọng Nghĩa (RVNM)

Joint General Staff
**Type**
Highest-ranking military officer

**Abbreviation**
CJGS

**Member of**
Joint General Staff
National Security Council

**Reports to**
The President
Minister of Defence

**Residence**
Navy Base Saigon

**Seat**
National Defence Building

**Nominator**
Minister of Defence

**Appointer**
The President

**Term length**
At the pleasure of the president

**Formation**
March 1953

**First holder**
Lieutenant General Nguyễn Văn Hinh

**Deputy**
Vice Chairman of the Joint General Staff
Director of the Unified Staff

The **chief of the Joint General Staff** (**CJGS**) is the presiding officer of Vietnam's Joint General Staff (JGS). The chief is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces and the principal military advisor to the president, the National Security Council, the Defence Staff Committee, and the minister of defence. While the chief of the Joint General Staff outranks all other commissioned officers, the chief is prohibited by law from having operational command authority over the armed forces; however, the chief does assist the president and the minister of defence in exercising their command functions.

## History

The position of Chief of the Joint General Staff has a rich and illustrious history, dating back to the formation of the Republic of Vietnam in the mid-20th century. The concept of a unified military command structure was born out of the need to streamline and coordinate the armed forces of the nation during times of conflict and peace.

1952: The Republic of Vietnam establishes the Joint General Staff Committee (JGSC) to serve as an advisory body to the government on military matters. However, it lacks a centralized leadership position.

1953: In response to the increasing complexity of modern warfare and the need for strategic coordination, the position of Chief of the Joint General Staff is created. Lieutenant General Nguyễn Văn Hinh is appointed as the first Chief of the Joint General Staff, tasked with overseeing the planning, coordination, and execution of military operations across all branches of the armed forces.

1955-1960: The position gains prominence during the subsequent period of post-war reconstruction. Chief of the Joint General Staff becomes a key advisor to the President and assumes a central role in national security decision-making.

1960s: As the Cold War escalates, the Chief of the Joint General Staff plays a pivotal role in developing and implementing defense strategies, ensuring readiness of the armed forces, and coordinating joint military exercises with allied nations.

1980s: With advancements in technology and the increasing complexity of warfare, the Chief of the Joint General Staff becomes responsible for overseeing the integration of cutting-edge military technologies and intelligence systems into the armed forces, enhancing their effectiveness and efficiency.

2000s: The Chief of the Joint General Staff's role expands further to encompass global security challenges, such as counterterrorism, cyber warfare, and peacekeeping operations. They work closely with international military alliances and organizations to foster cooperation and strengthen defense partnerships.

2020: The position undergoes a significant reform, with the Chief of the Joint General Staff being granted enhanced authority over resource allocation, defense budgeting, and strategic planning. This empowers the position to have a more decisive impact on the nation's military capabilities and preparedness.

Throughout its history, the Chief of the Joint General Staff has been a symbol of military excellence, strategic thinking, and unwavering commitment to the defense and security of the Republic of Vietnam. The position continues to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing nature of warfare, ensuring that the nation's armed forces remain at the forefront of national defense.

## Organization and assistants

### Organization

* chief, Joint General Staff
	+ Vice chief, Joint General Staff
		- Director, Unified Staff - assists the chief in his role as advisor to the President and Minister of Defence, coordinates and directs activities of the Unified Staff in support of the chief, and serves as the staff inspector general.
			* Vice Director, Unified Staff
				+ J1 - Director, Manpower and Personnel
				+ J2 - Director, Intelligence
				+ J3 - Director, Operations
				+ J4 - Director, Logistics
				+ J5 - Director, Strategy, Plans, and Policy
				+ J6 - Director, Command, Control, Communications, and Computers / Chief Information Officer
				+ J7 - Director, Joint Force Development
				+ J8 - Director, Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment
				+ Director of Management
				+ Joint History Office - record activities of the chief and the Unified Staff
		- Assistant to the chief - oversees matters requiring close personal control by the chief with particular focus on international relations and politico-military concerns
		- Senior Enlisted Advisor to the chief (SEAC) - advisor to the chief on all matters involving joint and combined total force integration, utilization, health of the force, and joint development for enlisted personnel

### **Vice Chief** **of the Joint General Staff (VCJGS)**

The vice chief is, by Vietnamese law, the second highest-ranking military officer in the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, ranking just below the chief of the Joint General Staff. The vice chief outranks all respective heads of each service branch, with the exception of the chief, but does not have operational command authority over their service branches. The vice chief assists the chief in exercising their duties. In the absence of the chief, the vice chief presides over the meetings of the **Joint General Staff** and performs all other duties prescribed and may also perform other duties that the president, the chief, or the minister of defence prescribes.

The current vice chief is General Triệu Minh Khánh, who assumed office on 27 June 2022.

## Appointment and rank

The president of Vietnam has the sole authority to appoint a new chief. However, there is an unofficial list of candidates that the current service branch chiefs keep and they typically give the president their recommendation from this list. The list is unofficially called the Chiefs List (in Vietnamese *Danh sách trưởng*) however, it has no real binding appointment authority.

The RVNMF promotion schedule, generally caps the number of four-star generals to 75 across all branches of the armed forces, therefore most chiefs of the JGS at time of appointment were three-star generals or lower. However, in accordance to Vietnamese Military Code, adopted in 1951, upon appointment to the position of chief of the JGS, the new chief is automatically promoted to the next grade, unless they are already a prescribed four-star general.

## List of chiefs

### Chairmen by service branch

* Army of the Republic of Vietnam — 9
* Republic of Vietnam Navy — 3
* Republic of Vietnam Air Force — 3
* Republic of Vietnam Marines — 2