Chief of the Defence Staff (France)

République Française Chef d'État-Major des Armées
E.M.A Insignia Insigne de l'État-Major des Armées
Marque du Chef d'État-Major des Armées
Incumbent Général François Lecointre since 19 July 2017
Member of	Chiefs of Staff Committee
Seat	Paris, France
Nominator	Ministère de la Défense
Appointer	Président de la République Française Require Premier Ministre Français countersignature
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	27th Chief since April 28, 1948
First holder	Jean-Louis Borel (1874-1875)
Deputy	Major Général des Armées
Website	http://www.defense.gouv.fr

French Armed Forces
Components
French Air Force French Army French Navy Gendarmerie National Guard
Ranks
Ranks in the French Army Ranks in the French Navy Ranks in the French Air Force
History
Military history of France La Grande Armée

The Chief of the General Staff of the Armies (French: (C)hef d'(É)tat-(M)ajor des (A)rmées) (acronym: C.E.M.A.) is the chief (French: Chef) of the general staff headquarters (French: État-Major) of the Armies (French: Armées) of France and leading senior military officer responsible for usage of the French Armed Forces, ensuring the commandment of all military operations (under reserve of the particular dispositions relative to nuclear deterrence).

C.E.M.A. is currently held by Général François Lecointre.

Functions

The Chef d'État-Major des Armées (French: C.E.M.A.) assists the Ministry of the Armed Forces (French: Ministère des Armées) in its capacity attributions to make use of the various required forces. C.E.M.A., in virtue of decree dispositions of July 15, 2009, under the authority of the President of France, the French government, and under the reserve of the particular dispositions relative to nuclear deterrence, is responsible for the use of forces and commandment of all military operations. CEMA is the military counselar of the government.

C.E.M.A. has authority over the:

• Chief of Staff of the French Army (French: Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de Terre, CEMAT)
• Chief of Staff of the French Air Force (French: Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de l'Air, CEMAA)
• Chief of Staff of the French Navy (French: Chef d'État-Major de la Marine, CEMM)

C.E.M.A. responsibilities consist of:

• The inter-arm organizations and the general organization of the armed forces
• The expression of the need in material of human resources of the armed forces, the inter-arm institutions, and the definition of the ensemble format of the armed forces.
• The preparation and condition assignments of recruiting in the armed forces
• Support of the armed forces ( C.E.M.A. determines the general organizations and objectives. C.EM.A. assures the operational maintenance in condition of all equipments. C.E.M.A. determines the inter-arm needs of various material infrastructures and that of the armed forces while verifying status of operability)
• The renseignement of military interest. C.E.M.A. ensures the general research direction and exploitation of the renseignement militaire and has authority on the direction du renseignement militaire
• International military relations

Responsibilities and authorities

C.E.M.A is responsible for :

• Conduct of operations : plans of use, general articulation of forces, distribution of operational means between theatre commanders (over whom he has full authority)
• Forces preparation : CEMA is in check of forces aptitude in missions completion and has a permanent right of inspection over these forces;
• Future Preparation : planning and programming of military capacities. Oversees in effect of coherence in means of the armed forces and participates to the preparation and various executions of associated military and defence budgets.
• Inter-arm organization: Oversees the coherence of the armed forces organization
• Military relations with foreign militaries: CEMA directs French foreign military missions in foreign theatres, organizes the participation of the armed forces in regards to military cooperations, following international mandated negotiations and represents France at the varuous military committees of international organizations.

The installation of L’État-Major des Armées between 1890 and 2015.

Directly under the CEMA authority are :

• Les Chefs d’état-major de l'Armée de terre, de La Marine et de l’Armée de l’Air
• l'État-Major des armées (EMA)
• The Inspection of the Armed Forces (IDA)
• Superior commanders in the collective and overseas territorial departments and the commanders of the French forces in foreign areas (COMSUP and COMFOR), the officiers généraux of the zones de défense et de sécurité (OGZDS) and the délégués militaires départementaux (DMD)
• Inter-arm institutions:
  • Direction du renseignement militaire (DRM) – Directorate of Military Intelligence
  • French Special Operations Command (French: Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (COS))
  • état-major interarmées de force et d'entraînement (EMIA-FE)
  • Direction centrale du service de santé des armées (DCSSA) – Military Medical Services
  • Direction centrale du service des essences des armées (DCSEA) – Military Fuel Services
  • Direction interarmées des réseaux d'infrastructures et des systèmes d'information (DIRISI)– Inter-arm infrastructure and Information Systems Directorate
  • Direction centrale du service du commissariat des armées - DCSCA, created January 1 2010
  • Service interarmées des munitions, created March 25 2011
  • Enseignement militaire supérieur.

The Chief of the general staff headquarters of the Armies (CEMA), is assisted by a Major General of the Armies (French: Major Général des Armées), a senior ranked officer of the French Armed Forces.

Chefs d'État-Major des armées

Commandant en chef des armées françaises (1915–1918)

Main article: Grand Quartier Général (1914–1919)

While non official, the term Generalissimo or « (French: Généralissime) » was employed since 1914 to designate the individual who in reality was « Commandant en Chef des Armées du Nord et du Nord-Est » (English: Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the North and North-East). The term would be made official in 1915 when Joffre was also given command over the Salonika front (a degree of authority not enjoyed by his successors). The rank and post was successively occupied by three generals during World War I: Joseph Joffre, who occupied the rank and functions from August 1914 without bearing the official title, then Robert Nivelle and Philippe Pétain.

Général Ferdinand Foch was the Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Zone under Joseph Joffre in autumn 1914; this role later crystallised into command of French Army Group North, a position which Foch held until December 1916. Subsequently, Foch became Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front with the title Généralissime in 1918 then was designated as « Commandant en Chef des Armées Alliées » (English:Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces) starting May 14, 1918.^[1] Foch was promoted to Marshal of France prior the planning of the offensive that led to the Armistice of 11 November 1918. Following the armistice, Marshal Ferdinand Foch was elevated to the diginity of the Marshal of Great Britain and Poland.

N#	Portrait	Rank	Name	Service Branch	Command Tenure			Minister of War	President of France
					Tenure From	Tenure Until	Duration of Tenure
17.		Generalissimo Général de division[2] (elevated to the diginity of Maréchal de France)	Joseph Joffre	French Army	December 2, 1915	December 17, 1916	1 year, 15 days	Joseph Gallieni Pierre Roques Louis Lyautey	Raymond Poincaré
18.		Général de division	Robert Nivelle	French Army	December 17, 1916	May 15, 1917	149 days	Louis Lyautey Lucien Lacaze Paul Painlevé	Raymond Poincaré
19.		Général de division (elevated to the dignity of Maréchal de France)	Philippe Pétain	French Army	May 17, 1917	March 28, 1918	315 days	Paul Painlevé Georges Clemenceau	Raymond Poincaré

Commandant en chef des Armées alliées (1918–1920)

N#	Portrait	Rank	Name	Service Branch	Command Tenure			Minister of War	President of France
					Tenure From	Tenure Until	Duration of Tenure
20.		Marshal of France Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front with title bearing Généralissime (British Field Marshal 22nd Royal First Honorary Colonel Marshal of Poland following the war)	Ferdinand Foch	French Army	March 28, 1918	January 10, 1920	1 year, 288 days	Georges Clemenceau	Raymond Poincaré

Chef d'État-Major général des armées françaises (1920–1940)

№		Chef d'État-Major général des armées françaises	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Defence branch	President of the Council	President
21		Buat, EdmondGénéral de division Edmond Buat (1868–1923)	June 24, 1920	December 30, 1923	7003128400000000000♠3 years, 189 days	French Army	Alexandre Millerand Georges Leygues Aristide Briand Raymond Poincaré	Paul Deschanel (1920 – 1920) Alexandre Millerand (1920 – 1924)
22		Debeney, Marie-EugèneGeneralissimo Marie-Eugène Debeney (1864–1943)	January 1, 1924	January 2, 1930	7003219300000000000♠6 years, 1 day	French Army	Raymond Poincaré Frédéric François-Marsal Édouard Herriot Paul Painlevé Aristide Briand	Alexandre Millerand (1920 – 1924) Gaston Doumergue (1924 – 1931)
23		Weygand, MaximeGénéral d'armée Maxime Weygand (1867–1965)	January 2, 1930	January 21, 1935	7003184500000000000♠5 years, 19 days	French Army	Camille Chautemps André Tardieu Théodore Steeg Pierre Laval	Gaston Doumergue (1924 – 1931)
24		Gamelin, MauriceGénéral d'armée Maurice Gamelin (1872–1958)	January 21, 1935	May 18, 1940	7003194400000000000♠5 years, 118 days	French Army	Pierre Laval Albert Sarraut Léon Blum Camille Chautemps Édouard Daladier	Gaston Doumergue (1924 – 1931) Paul Doumer (1931 – 1932) Albert François Lebrun (1932 – 1940)

Chef d'État-Major général des forces armées (1948–1950)

№		Chef d'État-Major général des forces armées	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Defence branch	President of the Council	President
25		Zeller, HenriGénéral de division Henri Zeller (1896–1971)	April 28, 1948	March 31, 1950	7002702000000000000♠1 year, 337 days	French Army	Robert Schuman André Marie Henri Queuille Georges Bidault	Vincent Auriol (1947 – 1954)

Chef d'État-Major combiné des forces armées (1950–1953)

№		Chef d'État-Major combiné des forces armées	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Defence branch	President of the Council	President
(25)		Zeller, HenriGénéral de division Henri Zeller (1896–1971)	April 1, 1950	August 20, 1951	7002506000000000000♠1 year, 141 days	French Army	Queuille, HenriHenri Queuille René Pleven	Vincent Auriol (1947 – 1954)
26		Léchères, CharlesGénéral Charles Léchères (1895–1960)	August 20, 1951	August 20, 1952	7002366000000000000♠1 year, 0 days	French Air Force	Henri Queuille René Pleven Edgar Faure Antoine Pinay	Vincent Auriol (1947 – 1954)
27		Juin, AlphonseGénéral d'armée Alphonse Juin (1897–1975) (elevated to the dignity of Maréchal de France)	August 20, 1952	August 17, 1953	7002362000000000000♠362 days	French Army	Antoine Pinay René Mayer Joseph Laniel	Vincent Auriol (1947 – 1954)

Chef d'État-Major des forces armées (1953–1958)

№		Chef d'État-Major des forces armées	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Defence branch	President of the Council	President
28		Ély, PaulGénéral d'armée Paul Ély (1897–1975)	August 18, 1953	June 3, 1954	7002289000000000000♠289 days	French Army	Laniel, JosephJoseph Laniel	Vincent Auriol (1947 – 1954) René Coty (1954 – 1959)
29		Guillaume, AugustinGénéral d'armée Augustin Guillaume (1895–1983)	June 4, 1954	February 28, 1956	7002634000000000000♠1 year, 269 days	French Army	Joseph Laniel Pierre Mendès France Edgar Faure Guy Mollet	René Coty (1954 – 1959)
(28)		Ély, PaulGénéral d'armée Paul Ély (1897–1975)	March 2, 1956	May 16, 1958	7002805000000000000♠2 years, 75 days	French Army	Laniel, JosephJoseph Laniel Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury Félix Gaillard Pierre Pflimlin	René Coty (1954 – 1959)

Chef d'État-Major général des armées (1958–1961)

№		Chef d'État-Major général des armées	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Defence branch	President of the Council then Prime Minister of France	President
30		Lorillot, HenriGénéral d'armée Henri Lorillot	May 17, 1958	June 8, 1958	7001520000000000000♠52 days	French Army	Pierre Pflimlin Charles de Gaulle	René Coty (1954 – 1959)
(28)		Ély, PaulGénéral d'armée Paul Ély (1897–1975)	June 9, 1958	February 11, 1959	7002218000000000000♠218 days	French Army	Charles de Gaulle Michel Debré	René Coty (1954 – 1959) Charles de Gaulle (1959 – 1969)
31		Lavaud, GastonGénéral d'armée Gaston Lavaud (1897–1975)	February 25, 1959	April 10, 1961	7002775000000000000♠2 years, 44 days	French Army	Michel Debré	Charles de Gaulle (1959 – 1969)

Chef d'État-Major interarmées (1961–1962)

№		Chef d'État-Major interarmées	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Defence branch	Prime Minister of France	President
32		Martin, AndréGénéral André Martin (1911–2001)	April 11, 1961	July 15, 1962	7002460000000000000♠1 year, 95 days	French Air Force	Michel Debré Georges Pompidou	Charles de Gaulle (1959 – 1969)

Chef d'État-Major des armées (1962–present)

№		Chef d'État-Major des armées	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Defence branch	Prime Minister of France	President
33		Ailleret, CharlesGénéral d'armée Charles Ailleret (1907–1968)	July 16, 1962	March 9, 1968	7003206300000000000♠5 years, 237 days	French Army	Georges Pompidou	Charles de Gaulle
34		Fourquet, MichelGénéral Michel Fourquet (1914–1992)	April 1, 1968	June 8, 1971	7003116300000000000♠3 years, 68 days	French Air Force	Georges Pompidou Maurice Couve de Murville Jacques Chaban-Delmas	Charles de Gaulle Georges Pompidou
35		Maurin, FrançoisGénéral François Maurin (1918–2018)	June 9, 1971	June 30, 1975	7003148200000000000♠4 years, 21 days	French Air Force	Jacques Chaban-Delmas Pierre Messmer Jacques Chirac	Georges Pompidou Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
36		Méry, GuyGénéral d'armée Guy Méry (1919–1999)	July 1, 1975	July 19, 1980	7003184500000000000♠5 years, 18 days	French Army	Jacques Chirac Raymond Barre	Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
37		Vanbremeersch, ClaudeGénéral d'armée Claude Vanbremeersch (1921–1981)	July 20, 1980	January 31, 1981	7002195000000000000♠195 days	French Army	Raymond Barre	Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
38		Lacaze, JeannouGénéral d'armée Jeannou Lacaze (1924–2005)	February 1, 1981	July 31, 1985	7003164100000000000♠4 years, 180 days	French Army	Raymond Barre Pierre Mauroy Laurent Fabius	Valéry Giscard d'Estaing François Mitterrand
39		Saulnier, JeanGénéral Jean Saulnier (pilot) (1930–2013)	August 1, 1985	November 13, 1987	7002834000000000000♠2 years, 104 days	French Air Force	Laurent Fabius Jacques Chirac	François Mitterrand
40		Schmitt, MauriceGénéral d'armée Maurice Schmitt (born 1930)	November 14, 1987	April 23, 1991	7003125600000000000♠3 years, 160 days	French Army	Jacques Chirac Michel Rocard	François Mitterrand
41		Lanxade, JacquesAmiral Jacques Lanxade (born 1934)	April 24, 1991	September 8, 1995	7003159800000000000♠4 years, 137 days	French Navy	Michel Rocard Édith Cresson Pierre Bérégovoy Édouard Balladur Alain Juppé	François Mitterrand Jacques Chirac
42		Douin, Jean-PhilippeGénéral Jean-Philippe Douin (1940–2016)	September 9, 1995	April 7, 1998	7002941000000000000♠2 years, 210 days	French Air Force	Alain Juppé Lionel Jospin	Jacques Chirac
43		Kelche, Jean-PierreGénéral d'armée Jean-Pierre Kelche (born 1942)	April 9, 1998	October 29, 2002	7003166400000000000♠4 years, 203 days	French Army	Lionel Jospin Jean-Pierre Raffarin	Jacques Chirac
44		Bentégeat, HenriGénéral d'armée Henri Bentégeat (born 1946)	October 30, 2002	October 3, 2006	7003143400000000000♠3 years, 338 days	French Army	Jean-Pierre Raffarin Dominique de Villepin	Jacques Chirac
45		Georgelin, Jean-LouisGénéral d'armée Jean-Louis Georgelin (born 1948) [3]	October 4, 2006	February 24, 2010	7003123900000000000♠3 years, 143 days	French Army	Dominique de Villepin François Fillon	Jacques Chirac Nicolas Sarkozy
46		Guillaud, ÉdouardAmiral Édouard Guillaud (born 1953) [4]	February 25, 2010	February 14, 2014	7003145000000000000♠3 years, 354 days	French Navy	François Fillon Jean-Marc Ayrault	Nicolas Sarkozy François Hollande
47		de Villiers, PierreGénéral d'armée Pierre de Villiers (born 1956) [5]	February 15, 2014	July 19, 2017	7003125000000000000♠3 years, 154 days	French Army	Jean-Marc Ayrault Manuel Valls Bernard Cazeneuve	François Hollande Emmanuel Macron
48		Lecointre, FrançoisGénéral d'armée François Lecointre (born 1962)	July 20, 2017	Incumbent	7002452000000000000♠1 year, 87 days	French Army	Édouard Philippe	Emmanuel Macron

See also

• List of aircraft carriers of France
• Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
• Chief of the Military Staff of the President of the Republic (French: État-major particulier du Président de la République Française)
• Head of the Prime Minister's military cabinet (French: Chef du cabinet militaire du Premier ministre)
• Head of the Minister of Defence's military cabinet (French: Chef du Cabinet militaire du Ministre Français de la Défense)
• Direction générale de la Gendarmerie Nationale (French: Direction Générale de la Gendarmerie nationale) in liaison
• Major (France)
• Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. counterpart
• Chief of Federal Armed Forces Staff, the German counterpart
• Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom), UK counterpart

References

Sources

• This page is a translation of fr:Chef d'état-major des armées.
• (French) Décret N° 2009-869. Retrieved on 2013-07-10.