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Director of the Joint Staff
US military three-star officer who assists the Joint Chiefs of Staff
US military three-star officer who assists the Joint Chiefs of Staff
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| post | Director of the Joint Staff |
| flag | Joint Chiefs of Staff seal (2).svg |
| flagsize | 140 |
| flagcaption | Seal of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |
| insigniasize | 120 |
| image | VADM Frederick W. Kacher (2).jpg |
| abbreviation | DJS |
| incumbent | VADM Fred Kacher, USN |
| incumbentsince | 5 December 2025 |
| department | Joint Staff |
| reports_to | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |
| Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff | |
| seat | The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. |
| appointer | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff |
| constituting_instrument | |
| formation | 19 September 1949 |
| inaugural | MG Alfred M. Gruenther, USA |
| deputy | Vice Director of the Joint Staff |
| website |
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The director of the Joint Staff (DJS) is a three-star officer who assists the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a cabinet of senior military officers within the United States Armed Forces who advise the secretary of defense and the president on military matters. The director assists the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in managing the Joint Staff and 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.
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. As with all three- and four-star positions, the director's appointment is subject to presidential nomination and Senate confirmation.
The position of director is considered one of the most desirable three-star positions in the United States military establishment, for the position has historically served as a stepping stone to a four-star position.{{cite book
List of directors of the Joint Staff
This is a complete list of the directors of the Joint Staff.{{citation
Of the 41 directors of the Joint Staff , 30 have been promoted to four-star rank while on active duty, as has one acting director; and a 31st former director was promoted to that rank upon retirement. Moreover, 22 of the last 23 directors have been promoted to four-star rank within a year of leaving the Joint Staff.
| No. | Director | Term | Service branch | Notes | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| order = 1 | Major General]] | image = MG Alfred M. Gruenther.jpg | officeholder = Alfred M. Gruenther | officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = 17 September 1947 | term_end = 19 September 1949 | 17 September 1947 | 19 September 1949}} |
References
References
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "Director Responsibility Statement". Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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