Joint Staff

Joint Staff — CJCS, VCJCS, SEAC, and Joint Chiefs of Staff

Joint Staff Function

The Joint Staff assists members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in carrying out assigned responsibilities of:

Strategic direction
Unified operation of CCMD
Integration of all branches of the military into an efficient force

Direction Authority

By law, the direction of the Joint Staff rests EXCLUSIVELY with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Director of Joint Staff

The Chairman normally manages the Joint Staff through the Director of the Joint Staff. The Director is selected by the Chairman after consultation with other members of the Joint Chiefs and with the approval of the Secretary of Defense.

Joint Staff Composition

The Joint Staff consists of more than 1,500 military and civilian personnel, composed of:

Approximately equal numbers of officers from the Army, Navy, USAF, and USSF
Marines make up about 20 percent of the number allocated to the Navy

Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS)

CJCS Appointment

Appointed by the U.S. President, by and with advice and consent of the Senate, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) holds the grade of General or Admiral.

CJCS Outranks All

The CJCS OUTRANKS all other officers of the U.S. Armed Forces but may NOT exercise military command over the Joint Chiefs of Staff or the U.S. Armed Forces.

CJCS Advisory Role

The CJCS is the principal military advisor to:

The U.S. President
The National Security Council
The Secretary of Defense

CJCS CCMD Oversight

The Secretary of Defense may assign CJCS responsibility for overseeing the activities of the CCMDs.

CJCS Recommendations

The CJCS:

Presides over the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Objectively furnishes recommendations and views of the Joint Chiefs to the U.S. President, National Security Council, or the Secretary of Defense

Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS)

VCJCS Appointment

The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS), appointed by the U.S. President, by and with advice and consent of the Senate, is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

VCJCS Service Restriction

The VCJCS CANNOT be from the same branch of service as the Chairman.

VCJCS Tour

The VCJCS:

Serves a tour of two years
May be reappointed for two additional terms

VCJCS Acting Role

When required, the VCJCS assumes the role of Acting Chairman in the Chairman's absence.

Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC)

SEAC Highest Position

Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) is designated as the HIGHEST senior enlisted position in the U.S. Armed Forces.

SEAC Role

The SEAC is appointed to serve as an advisor to the Chairman and the Secretary of Defense on all matters involving:

Total Force integration
Utilization
Health of the force
Joint development for enlisted personnel

SEAC Spokesperson

The SEAC also serves as a spokesperson to leaders and organizations on applicable issues affecting enlisted forces.

Joint Chiefs of Staff

JCS Authority

Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the U.S. President and the Secretary of Defense, members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff serve as advisors to:

The President
Secretary of Defense
National Security Council

JCS Responsibilities

The Joint Chiefs:

Provide the strategic direction of the U.S. Armed Forces
Review major materiel and personnel requirements according to strategic and logistic requirements
Establish joint doctrine
Are responsible for the assignment of logistic responsibilities to the military services
Formulate policies for joint training
Coordinate military education

JCS Members

Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

Chairman
Vice Chairman
Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army
Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Staff of the USAF
Chief of Space Operations
Commandant of the Marine Corps
Chief of the National Guard Bureau

Service Chiefs Priority

For the Service Chiefs, their Joint Chiefs of Staff duties take precedence over all other duties. Consequently, as the military heads of their respective services, the Joint Chiefs delegate many duties to their Vice Chiefs while retaining overall responsibility.