Director of the Joint Staff

Director of the Joint Staff
Seal of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Incumbent
LtGen Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., USMC
since July 2017
Formation 19 September 1949
First holder MG Alfred M. Gruenther, USA
Website Official website

The Director of the Joint Staff (DJS) is a three-star officer in the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a cabinet of senior military officers within the United States Armed Forces who advise the Secretary of Defense and President on military matters. The Director assists the Chairman, a four-star officer who leads the Joint Staff, with the management and organization of the staff's members. The Director also chairs meetings of the Operations Deputies, a subsidiary body comprising the Director and a three-star delegate from each service who preview or resolve issues before they are escalated to the four-star level of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[1]

The Director of the Joint Staff is selected by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in consultation with the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and subject to the approval of the Secretary of Defense.[1] As with all three- and four-star positions, the Director's appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.

The position of Director is considered one of the most desirable billets in the United States military establishment, for the position has historically served as a stepping stone to a four-star billet.[2] As of February 2016, 34 of the 43 past Directors and 7 past, short-term, acting Directors (all "acting" were two-star) have been promoted to four-star rank, including a former Director promoted to that rank upon retirement from active duty. Many of these have been promoted to four-star rank within a year of leaving the position of Director of the Joint Staff.

The current Director of the Joint Staff is Lieutenant General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., U.S. Marine Corps.[3]

List of Directors of the Joint Staff

This is a complete list of the Directors of the Joint Staff.[4] An asterisk (*)—in the "No." (number) column—indicates an acting Director.

No. Image Name Service StartEnd Notes
1MG Alfred M. GruentherU. S. Army
(USA)		17 September 194719 September 1949Later a lieutenant general, was promoted to general, 1951
2RADM Arthur C. DavisU. S. Navy
(USN)		20 September 19491 November 1951Later a vice admiral, was promoted at retirement to admiral, 1955
3 Lt Gen Charles P. CabellU. S. Air Force
(USAF)		2 November 195123 April 1953Promoted to general, 1958
4 Lt Gen Frank F. EverestUSAF24 April 195318 March 1954Promoted to general, 1957
5 LTG Lemuel MathewsonUSA19 March 195414 March 1956
6VADM Bernard L. AustinUSN15 March 195631 March 1958
7 Lt Gen Oliver S. PicherUSAF1 April 195831 March 1960
8 LTG Earle G. WheelerUSA1 April 196024 February 1962Promoted to general, 1962
9VADM Herbert D. RileyUSN25 February 196223 February 1964
10 Lt Gen David A. BurchinalUSAF24 February 196431 July 1966Promoted to general, 1966
11 LTG Andrew J. GoodpasterUSA1 August 196631 March 1967Promoted to general, 1968
12 LTG Berton E. SpivyUSA1 April 196731 July 1968Promoted to general, 1968
13VADM Nels C. JohnsonUSN1 Aug 196819 July 1970
14 Lt Gen John W. VogtUSAF20 July 19707 April 1972Promoted to general, 1972
*RADM Mason B. FreemanUSN8 April 197211 June 1972
15LTG George M. Seignious IIUSA12 June 197231 May 1974retired to become President of The Citadel
16VADM Harry D. Train IIUSN1 June 197430 June 1976Promoted to admiral, 1978
17 Lt Gen Ray B. SittonUSAF1 July 197630 June 1977
18VADM Patrick J. HannifinUSN1 July 197720 June 1978
*MG John A. Wickham Jr.USA1 July 197821 August 1978
19 LTG John A. Wickham Jr.USA22 August 197822 June 1979Promoted to general, 1979
20VADM C. Thor HansonUSN22 June 197930 June 1981
21 Lt Gen James E. DaltonUSAF1 July 198130 June 1983Promoted to general, 1983
22 LTG Jack N. MerrittUSA1 July 198330 June 1985Promoted to general, 1985
23 VADM Powell F. Carter Jr.USN1 July 198514 August 1987Promoted to admiral, 1987
24 LTG Robert W. RisCassi USA 15 August 1987 30 November 1988 Promoted to general, 1988
25 Lt Gen Hansford T. Johnson USAF 1 December 1988 20 September 1989 Promoted to general, 1989
*MajGen Gene A. DeeganU. S. Marine Corps
(USMC)		21 September 198926 September 1989
26 Lt Gen Michael P.C. CarnsUSAF27 September 198916 May 1991Promoted to general, 1991
27 Lt Gen Henry Viccellio Jr.USAF17 May 19911 December 1992Promoted to general, 1992
28 VADM Richard C. MackeUSN1 December 199217 July 1994Promoted to admiral, 1994
* MG Charles T. Robertson Jr.USAF19 July 199424 July 1994Later a lieutenant general, was promoted to general, 1998
29 Lt Gen Walter KrossUSAF25 July 199412 July 1996Promoted to general, 1996
*MG Stephen T. RippeUSA13 July 199613 September 1996
30 VADM Dennis C. BlairUSN14 September 199612 December 1998Promoted to admiral, 1999
31 VADM Vernon E. ClarkUSN12 December 199826 July 1999Promoted to admiral, 1999
32 LtGen Carlton W. Fulford Jr.USMC26 July 199914 July 2000Promoted to general, 2000
33VADM Scott A. FryUSNJuly 2000October 2001
34 LTG John P. AbizaidUSA16 October 200123 January 2003Promoted to general, 2003
35 LTG George W. Casey Jr.USAJanuary 2003October 2003Promoted to general, 2003
36 VADM Timothy J. KeatingUSN13 October 2003October 2004Promoted to admiral, 2004
37 Lt Gen Norton A. SchwartzUSAFOctober 2004August 2005Promoted to general, 2005
38 LTG Walter L. SharpUSAAugust 2005May 2008Promoted to general, 2008
*Maj Gen Stephen M. GoldfeinUSAFMay 2008August 2008
39 LTG Stanley A. McChrystalUSAAugust 200810 June 2009Promoted to general, 2009
* RADM Bruce E. GroomsUSN10 June 2009August 2009
40 LTG Lloyd J. Austin IIIUSAAugust 200930 June 2010Promoted to general, 2010
41 VADM William E. Gortney USN 1 July 2010 August 2012 Promoted to admiral, 2012
42 LTG Curtis M. Scaparrotti USA August 2012 August 2013 Promoted to general, 2013
43 Lt Gen David L. Goldfein USAF August 2013 August 2015 Promoted to general, 2015.
44 LTG William C. Mayville Jr. USA August 2015 July 2017
45 LtGen Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. USMC July 2017 (incumbent)

See also


References

  1. 1 2 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Director Responsibility Statement, Joint Chiefs of Staff, archived from the original on 7 June 2011
  2. ↑ Woodward, Bob (2006), State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III, Simon and Schuster, pp. 22, 40, ISBN 978-0-7432-7223-0
  3. ↑ http://www.jcs.mil/biography.aspx?ID=214
  4. ↑ Historical Office (2004), Department of Defense Key Officials, 1947-2004, Office of the Secretary of Defense, p. 61, archived from the original on 22 May 2009
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