Joint Chiefs of Staff facts for kids

For other uses, see Joint Chiefs of Staff (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids 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	Gen Charles Q. Brown Jr., USAF
Vice Chairman	ADM Christopher W. Grady, USN
Number of members	Eight
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 National Guard Bureau chief have their own staffs assisting them)
Seat	The Pentagon

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is a group of the most important military leaders in the United States Department of Defense. They give advice to the president of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, and other important groups like the National Security Council. Their advice is all about military matters.

The JCS includes a Chairman and a Vice Chairman. It also includes the top leaders from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and the chief of the National Guard Bureau. Each of these leaders also works for their own military branch.

After a law called the Goldwater–Nichols Act in 1986, the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not directly command troops. Instead, the orders go from the President to the Secretary of Defense, and then to the military commanders in charge of different regions. The Chairman of the JCS is now the main military advisor to the President and the Secretary of Defense.

The Joint Staff is a team of military members from all branches. They work at The Pentagon and help the Chairman and Vice Chairman do their jobs.

What the Joint Chiefs of Staff Do
- Who are the Current Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff?
  - Coast Guard's Role with the JCS
How the Joint Chiefs of Staff Started
How the Joint Chiefs of Staff is Organized
The Joint Staff
- Departments of the Joint Staff
Images for kids
See also

What the Joint Chiefs of Staff Do

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in November 2024.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff do not have direct control over military operations. This changed after the Goldwater–Nichols Act in 1986. Now, the President and the Secretary of Defense give orders directly to the commanders who lead military operations around the world.

The main job of the Joint Chiefs today is to make sure their military branches are ready. This means they focus on training, planning, and making sure soldiers, sailors, and airmen have what they need. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the top military advisor to the President and the Secretary of Defense. The JCS is one of the most important groups that helps decide military policy.

Who are the Current Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff?

Position	Name	Service	Serving since	Nominated by
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff	General Charles Q. Brown Jr.	United States Air Force	1 October 2023	Joseph R. Biden
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff	Admiral Christopher W. Grady	United States Navy	20 December 2021	Joseph R. Biden
Chief of Staff of the Army	General Randy A. George	United States Army	21 September 2023	Joseph R. Biden
Commandant of the Marine Corps	General Eric M. Smith	United States Marine Corps	22 September 2023	Joseph R. Biden
Chief of Naval Operations	Admiral Lisa M. Franchetti	United States Navy	2 November 2023	Joseph R. Biden
Chief of Staff of the Air Force	General David W. Allvin	United States Air Force	2 November 2023	Joseph R. Biden
Chief of Space Operations	General B. Chance Saltzman	United States Space Force	2 November 2022	Joseph R. Biden
Chief of the National Guard Bureau	General Steven S. Nordhaus	United States Air Force	2 October 2024	Joseph R. Biden

Coast Guard's Role with the JCS

Position	Photograph	Name	Service	Serving since	Nominated by	Flag
Commandant of the Coast Guard		Admiral Kevin E. Lunday Acting	United States Coast Guard	21 January 2025	None

The commandant of the Coast Guard is not an official member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This is because the Coast Guard usually works under the Department of Homeland Security. However, the President can move the Coast Guard to the Department of the Navy during times of war. The Coast Guard Commandant sometimes attends JCS meetings by invitation. Unlike the other JCS members, the Commandant directly commands the Coast Guard.

How the Joint Chiefs of Staff Started

The Early Joint Board (1903-1942)

United States Secretary of Defense Harold Brown and United States Deputy Secretary of Defense Charles W. Duncan Jr with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General George S. Brown and the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in 1977

After the American Civil War, the U.S. military grew. But the Army and Navy often had trouble working together. To fix this, President Theodore Roosevelt created the Joint Army and Navy Board in 1903. This group was meant to plan joint operations and solve disagreements between the two services.

However, this Joint Board didn't have the power to make its decisions happen. It also couldn't suggest its own ideas. Because of this, it didn't have much impact during World War I. After the war, the board was restarted in 1919 with new members and the ability to suggest ideas. Still, it couldn't force its decisions.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff During World War II

Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting (c. 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.

During World War II, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill created the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS). This group was the top military body for planning the war effort between the U.S. and the UK.

The U.S. didn't have a group like the British Chiefs of Staff Committee. The old Joint Board wasn't powerful enough. So, Admiral William D. Leahy suggested a "unified high command" for the U.S. military. This new group became the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Their first meeting was on February 9, 1942. They worked to coordinate the efforts of the War and Navy Departments. Admiral Leahy became the "Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief" in July 1942.

The first members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were:

Admiral William D. Leahy (Navy)
General George C. Marshall (Army)
Admiral Ernest J. King (Navy)
General Henry H. 'Hap' Arnold (Army Air Forces)

The Joint Chiefs of Staff Becomes Official (1947)

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1959. From left to right: Gen. Lyman L. Lemnitzer, USA; Adm. Arleigh A. Burke, USN; Gen. Nathan F. Twining, USAF (chairman); Gen. Thomas Dresser White, USAF; and Gen. Randolph M. Pate, USMC

After World War II, the Joint Chiefs of Staff was officially created by the National Security Act of 1947. This law made the JCS a permanent part of the U.S. military. At first, it included a Chairman and the chiefs of the Army, Air Force, and Navy. The leader of the Marine Corps was consulted but wasn't a full member until later.

The position of Vice Chairman was added in 1986 by the Goldwater–Nichols Act. This helped the Chairman with some of their duties.

Many important leaders have served on the JCS. General Colin L. Powell was the first African American Chairman in 1989. General Charles Q. Brown Jr. became the first African American to lead a service branch (the Air Force) in 2020. He then became the Chairman of the JCS in 2023. Admiral Lisa Franchetti became the first woman to serve on the JCS as Chief of Naval Operations in 2023.

New Members Added to the JCS

In 2012, a new law added the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This was a very important step for the National Guard.

Then, in 2020, the U.S. Space Force was created. Its leader, the Chief of Space Operations, also became an official member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

How the Joint Chiefs of Staff is Organized

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2001

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the highest-ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces. They are the main military advisor to the President. The Chairman leads the meetings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This group includes the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and the leaders of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and National Guard Bureau.

The Chairman is higher in rank than the other service chiefs. However, they do not have direct command over them or their military branches. Military commanders get their orders directly from the Secretary of Defense.

The first person to hold a similar role was Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy in 1942. The first official Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was General Omar Bradley in 1949.

The current Chairman is General Charles Q. Brown Jr.. He started his job on September 29, 2023.

The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

The job of Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was created in 1986. The Vice Chairman is the second highest-ranking military officer in the U.S. Armed Forces. If the Chairman is not available, the Vice Chairman leads the JCS meetings. They also help the Chairman with other duties. In 1992, the Vice Chairman became a full voting member of the JCS.

The current Vice Chairman is Admiral Christopher W. Grady. He started his job on December 20, 2021.

Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman

The Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) is a very important advisor. This person gives advice on all matters related to enlisted military personnel from all branches. They help make sure enlisted members are trained and used well across the military.

Command Sergeant Major William Gainey was the first SEAC, starting in 2005. The current SEAC is Troy E. Black, who began his role in November 2023.

The Joint Staff

Joint Staff
Agency overview
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Formed	1949
Headquarters	The Pentagon
Employees	Approx. 1,500
Agency executive	LTG Douglas Sims II (DJS)
Parent agency	Department of Defense

The Joint Staff (JS) is a team of about 1,500 military members. They come from all six military branches. They work at The Pentagon and other locations. Their job is to help the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They work closely with other parts of the Department of Defense.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is helped by the director of the Joint Staff (DJS). This person manages the Joint Staff. The staff helps the Chairman give advice to the Secretary of Defense. This advice helps guide and connect the Army, Navy, Space Force, and Air Force.

Departments of the Joint Staff

The Joint Staff Organization Chart as of March 2018

The Joint Staff has different departments, called directorates. These departments handle planning, policies, intelligence, human resources, communications, and logistics.

J1 – Personnel and Manpower: Deals with military personnel and how many people are needed.
J2 – Intelligence: Gathers and analyzes information about other countries and threats.
J3 – Operations: Plans and manages military operations. The National Military Command Center is part of this group.
J4 – Logistics: Handles getting supplies, equipment, and transportation for the military.
J5 – Strategic Plans and Policy: Develops long-term plans and policies for the military.
J6 – Command, Control, Communications, and Computers/Cyber: Manages military communications and computer systems, including cybersecurity.
J7 – Joint Force Development: Focuses on training, exercises, and improving how different military branches work together.
J8 – Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment: Looks at how the military is organized and how resources are used.

Images for kids

The Joint Chiefs of Staff during its early days in 1949.
Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at The Pentagon in 1958.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1959.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1961.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1968.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1971.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1977.
Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with President-Elect Jimmy Carter and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on 17 December 1976.
Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a cabinet meeting in the White House in 1977
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1981.
Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during President Ronald Reagan Inaugural Parade on 20 January 1981.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1983.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1986.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2001.
Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff render a salute for the late President Ronald Reagan at Andrews Air Force Base in 2004.
Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Andrews Air Force Base during a funeral service ceremony for the late President Gerald Ford on 26 December 2006.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Senate Armed Services Committee testimony in The Capitol Hill 2010.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2017.