Command
The Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Chairman is the senior military officer of the armed forces and the principal military adviser to the President. He does not command troops: since the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 the chain of command has run from the President through the Secretary of Defense to the combatant commanders. Every man who has held it was a soldier, a sailor or an airman first.
10 held here, of the twenty-one who have served.
1993–1997
John M Shalikashvili
The thirteenth chairman, and the only foreign-born man to hold it.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by Bill Clinton
1989–1993
Colin Luther Powell
The twelfth chairman. Panama and the Gulf. The first Black American to hold the post.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by George H.W. Bush
1982–1985
J
John William Vessey
The tenth chairman. The last man on active duty who had fought in the Second World War.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by Ronald Reagan
1978–1982
David Charls Jones
The ninth chairman. Pressed for the reforms that became Goldwater-Nichols.
General · U.S. Air Force Appointed by Jimmy Carter
1970–1974
Thomas H Moorer
The seventh chairman.
Admiral · U.S. Navy Appointed by Richard Nixon
1964–1970
Earle Gilmore Wheeler
The sixth chairman, and the longest-serving. The whole of the build-up in Vietnam.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson
1962–1964
Maxwell D Taylor
The fifth chairman. Recalled from retirement by Kennedy.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by John F. Kennedy
1960–1962
Lyman L Lemnitzer
The fourth chairman. Sent to command NATO after the Bay of Pigs.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by John F. Kennedy
1957–1960
Nathan F Twining
The third chairman, and the first airman.
General · U.S. Air Force Appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
1953–1957
Arthur William Radford
The second chairman, and the first naval officer to hold it.
Admiral · U.S. Navy Appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
John M Shalikashvili
The thirteenth chairman, and the only foreign-born man to hold it.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by Bill Clinton
1989–1993
Colin Luther Powell
The twelfth chairman. Panama and the Gulf. The first Black American to hold the post.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by George H.W. Bush
1982–1985
J
John William Vessey
The tenth chairman. The last man on active duty who had fought in the Second World War.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by Ronald Reagan
1978–1982
David Charls Jones
The ninth chairman. Pressed for the reforms that became Goldwater-Nichols.
General · U.S. Air Force Appointed by Jimmy Carter
1970–1974
Thomas H Moorer
The seventh chairman.
Admiral · U.S. Navy Appointed by Richard Nixon
1964–1970
Earle Gilmore Wheeler
The sixth chairman, and the longest-serving. The whole of the build-up in Vietnam.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson
1962–1964
Maxwell D Taylor
The fifth chairman. Recalled from retirement by Kennedy.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by John F. Kennedy
1960–1962
Lyman L Lemnitzer
The fourth chairman. Sent to command NATO after the Bay of Pigs.
General · U.S. Army Appointed by John F. Kennedy
1957–1960
Nathan F Twining
The third chairman, and the first airman.
General · U.S. Air Force Appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
1953–1957
Arthur William Radford
The second chairman, and the first naval officer to hold it.
Admiral · U.S. Navy Appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower