Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff | |
---|---|
![]() Flag of the Vice Chairman of the JCS | |
since November 21, 2019 | |
U.S. Department of Defense | |
Abbreviation | VJCS |
Member of | Defense Acquisition Board Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Requirements Oversight Council |
Reports to | The President Secretary of Defense Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |
Seat | The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. |
Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
Term length | 2 years Renewable |
Constituting instrument | 10 U.S.C. § 154 |
Formation | February 6, 1987 |
First holder | Robert T. Herres |
Deputy | Director of the Joint Staff |
Website | www |
The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VJCS)[1][2] is, by U.S. law, the second highest-ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces,[3] ranking just below the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The vice chairman outranks all respective heads of each service branch, with the exception of the chairman, but does not have operational command authority over their service branches.[3] The Goldwater–Nichols Act of 1986 created the position of VJCS to assist the chairman in exercising his or her duties. In the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman presides over the meetings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and all other duties prescribed under 10 U.S.C. § 153 and may also perform other duties that the president, the chairman, or the secretary of defense prescribes.[3]
Responsibilities
Although the office of Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is considered to be very important and highly prestigious, neither the vice chairman nor the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a body have any command authority over combatant forces. The chain of command runs from the president to the secretary of defense directly to the commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands.[4]. The vice chairman's primary duties include: "overseeing joint military requirements, representing the military in National Security Council deputies meetings, and performing other duties as directed by the chairman." [5] As of 2 February 2019, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has been appointed as the senior designated official (SDO) for the Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Cross Functional Team (EMSO CFT).[6]. The appointment, pursuant to Section 1053 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, requires the vice chairman to "oversee the cross-functional team...and serve as an ex-officio member of the Electronic Warfare Executive Committee." [7]
Appointment and term limitations
The vice chairman is nominated by the president for appointment and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate.[3] The chairman and vice chairman may not be members of the same armed force service branch.[3] However, the president may waive that restriction for a limited period of time in order to provide for the orderly transition of officers appointed to serve in those positions.[3] The vice chairman serves a two-year term of office at the pleasure of the president,[3] but can be reappointed to serve two additional terms for a total of six years[3] In case of times of war or national emergency, there is no limit to how many times an officer can be reappointed to serve as Vice Chairman.[3] Historically, the vice chairman has served two terms. By statute, the vice chairman is appointed as a four-star general or admiral.[3]
Upcoming changes
Beginning January 1, 2021, the vice chairman's statutory term length will increase from two years to a single four-year term and cannot be reappointed unless in times of war or national emergency.[8] The vice chairman will begin assuming office on October 1st of every odd-number year, except the assumption of that term may not begin in the same year as the term of the chairman.[8] The vice chairman will not be eligible for appointment to chairman or appointment to any other four-star position unless the president determines such appointment is necessary under national interest.[8]
List of JCS vice chairmen
No. | Portrait | Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Service branch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Robert T. Herres (1932–2008) | GeneralFebruary 6, 1987 | February 28, 1990 | 3 years, 22 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force | |
2 | David E. Jeremiah (1934–2013) [a] | AdmiralMarch 1, 1990 | February 28, 1994 | 3 years, 364 days | ![]() U.S. Navy | |
3 | William Owens (born 1940) | AdmiralMarch 1, 1994 | February 27, 1996 | 1 year, 363 days | ![]() U.S. Navy | |
4 | Joseph Ralston (born 1943) | GeneralMarch 1, 1996 | February 29, 2000 | 3 years, 365 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force | |
5 | Richard Myers (born 1942) [b] | GeneralFebruary 29, 2000 | October 1, 2001 | 1 year, 215 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force | |
6 | Peter Pace (born 1945) [b] | GeneralOctober 1, 2001 | August 12, 2005 | 3 years, 315 days | ![]() U.S. Marine Corps | |
7 | Edmund Giambastiani (born 1948) | AdmiralAugust 12, 2005 | July 27, 2007 | 1 year, 349 days | ![]() U.S. Navy | |
8 | James E. Cartwright (born 1949) | GeneralAugust 31, 2007 | August 3, 2011 | 3 years, 337 days | ![]() U.S. Marine Corps | |
9 | James A. Winnefeld, Jr. (born 1956) | AdmiralAugust 4, 2011 | July 31, 2015 | 3 years, 361 days | ![]() U.S. Navy | |
10 | Paul J. Selva (born 1958) [9] | GeneralJuly 31, 2015 | July 31, 2019 | 4 years, 0 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force | |
11 | John E. Hyten (born 1959) | GeneralNovember 21, 2019 | Incumbent | 4 years, 284 days | ![]() U.S. Air Force |
Vice Chairman by branch of service
- Air Force: 5
- Navy: 4
- Marine Corps: 2
- Army: none
- Space Force: none
- Coast Guard: none
Positional color
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Vice_Chairman_of_the_Joint_Chiefs_of_Staff_flag.jpg)
The positional color (flag) of the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is white with a diagonal medium blue strip from upper hoist to lower fly. Centered on the flag is an American bald eagle with wings spread horizontally, in proper colors. The talons grasp three crossed arrows. A shield with blue chief and thirteen red and white stripes is on the eagle's breast. Diagonally, from upper fly to lower hoist are four five-pointed stars, medium blue on the white, two above the eagle, and two below. The fringe is yellow; the cord and tassels are medium blue and white. The design was approved by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger on 20 January 1987.[10]
See also
- Defense Acquisition Board
- Deputy's Advisory Working Group, a policy review panel co-chaired by DEPSECDEF and VJCS
- Joint Requirements Oversight Council
Notes
References
- ^ Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman - DSD/VJCS NEWS CONFERENCE
- ^ Department of Defense - DSD/VJCS NEWS CONFERENCE
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j [1] 10 USC 154. Vice Chairman
- ^ [2] 10 USC 162. Combatant commands: assigned forces; chain of command
- ^ "Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff".
- ^ Secretary of Defense Memorandum. Establishment of the Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Cross Functional Team. (Feb. 2, 2019)
- ^ "H.R. 5515 – All Actions" (PDF).|publisher=United States Congress
- ^ a b c Public Law 114–328 - The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 increased the term length Chairman and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from two years to four years and the Vice Chairman is no longer eligible to become Chairman.
- ^ "Gen. Paul J. Selva > Joint Chiefs of Staff > Article View". www.jcs.mil.
- ^ Army Regulation 840-10, paragraph 3-14 (2 Apr. 1992).