Director of the Joint Staff - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Director of the Joint Staff (DJS) is a three-star officer who assists the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...

with the management of the Joint Staff, an organization composed of approximately equal numbers of officers contributed by the Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

, Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

, Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

, and Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

, who have been assigned to assist the Chairman with the unified strategic direction, operation, and integration of the combatant land, naval, and air forces. 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 level of the four-star Joint Chiefs of Staff

Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...

.

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

United States Secretary of Defense

The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...

. As with all three- and four-star positions, the Director's appointment is subject to Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

confirmation. The position of Director is considered one of the most desirable three-star billets in the United States military establishment, for the position has historically served as a large stepping stone for an officer to be considered for a four-star billet.

The current Director of the Joint Staff is Vice Admiral William E. Gortney

William E. Gortney

William Evans "Bill" Gortney is a vice admiral in the United States Navy. He is the current Director of the Joint Staff. He previously served as Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet...

, USN.

List of Directors of the Joint Staff

This is a complete list of the Directors of the Joint Staff. An asterisk (*) indicates an acting Director.

Of the 40 Directors of the Joint Staff as of 2010, 29 have been promoted to four-star rank while on active duty, as has one acting Director; and a 30th former Director was promoted to that rank upon retirement. Moreover, 21 of the last 22 Directors have been promoted to four-star rank within a year of leaving the Joint Staff.

No.	Name	Service	Start	End	Notes
1	MG Major general (United States) In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general... Alfred M. Gruenther	USA United States Army The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...	September 17, 1947	September 19, 1949	Promoted to general, 1951
2	RADM Arthur C. Davis	USN United States Navy The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...	September 20, 1949	November 1, 1951	Retired as admiral, 1955
3	Lt Gen Lieutenant General (United States) In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general... Charles P. Cabell Charles P. Cabell Charles Pearre Cabell was an United States Air Force General and deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency.-Early life:...	USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...	November 2, 1951	April 23, 1953	Promoted to general, 1958
4	LTG Lieutenant General (United States) In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general... Frank F. Everest Frank F. Everest Frank Fort Everest was a United States Air Force general, and served as Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and Commander, Tactical Air Command.-Biography:He was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 1904...	USAF	April 24, 1953	March 18, 1954	Promoted to general, 1957
5	LTG Lemuel Mathewson Lemuel Mathewson Lemuel Mathewson was a United States Army Lieutenant General.-Early career:Mathewson was born in Bath, New York on March 29, 1899...	USA	March 19, 1954	March 14, 1956
6	VADM Vice admiral (United States) In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of... Bernard L. Austin	USN	March 15, 1956	March 31, 1958
7	Lt Gen Oliver S. Picher Oliver S. Picher Oliver S. Picher was a United States Air Force Lt. General. He served as Commander of the 307th Bombardment Group during WWII, Commander of the 315th Air Division in post war Japan and as the Director of the Joint Staff.-Biography:...	USAF	April 1, 1958	March 31, 1960
8	LTG Earle G. Wheeler Earle Wheeler Earle Gilmore "Bus" Wheeler, was a United States Army General who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army and then as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , holding the latter position during the Vietnam War.-Biography:Earle Gilmore Wheeler was born on January 13, 1908 in Washington,...	USA	April 1, 1960	February 24, 1962	Promoted to general, 1962
9	VADM Herbert D. Riley	USN	February 25, 1962	February 23, 1964
10	Lt Gen David A. Burchinal David A. Burchinal David Arthur Burchinal was a United States Air Force four star general who served as Deputy Commander in Chief, United States European Command , from 1966 to 1973.-Biography:...	USAF	February 24, 1964	July 31, 1966	Promoted to general, 1966
11	LTG Andrew J. Goodpaster	USA	August 1, 1966	March 31, 1967	Promoted to general, 1968
12	LTG Berton E. Spivy	USA	April 1, 1967	July 31, 1968	Promoted to general, 1968
13	VADM Nels C. Johnson	USN	Aug 1, 1968	July 19, 1970
14	Lt Gen John W. Vogt	USAF	July 20, 1970	April 7, 1972	Promoted to general, 1972
*	RADM Mason B. Freeman	USN	April 8, 1972	June 11, 1972
15	LTG George M. Seignious II George M. Seignious Lieutenant General George Marion Seignious U.S. Army was a distinguished military leader, diplomat and college president...	USA	June 12, 1972	May 31, 1974
16	VADM Harry D. Train II Harry D. Train II Harry Depue Train II is a retired Admiral in the United States Navy and a Senior Fellow at the Joint Advanced Warfighting School at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia.-Naval career:...	USN	June 1, 1974	June 30, 1976	Promoted to admiral, 1978
17	Lt Gen Ray B. Sitton Ray B. Sitton Lieutenant General Ray Benjamin Sitton was an American lieutenant general, command pilot and navigator. He was Director of the Joint Staff, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.-Biography:...	USAF	July 1, 1976	June 30, 1977
18	VADM Patrick J. Hannifin	USN	July 1, 1977	June 20, 1978
*	MG John A. Wickham Jr.	USA	July 1, 1978	August 21, 1978
19	LTG John A. Wickham Jr.	USA	August 22, 1978	June 22, 1979	Promoted to general, 1979
20	VADM Carl Thor Hanson	USN	June 22, 1979	June 30, 1981
21	Lt Gen James E. Dalton James E. Dalton James Edward Dalton is a former General and former Chief of Staff of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe.-Biography:Dalton was born in New York City in 1930. He is a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School...	USAF	July 1, 1981	June 30, 1983	Promoted to general, 1983
22	LTG Jack N. Merritt Jack N. Merritt Jack Neil Merritt is a retired United States Army four star general who served as U.S. Military Representative, NATO Military Committee from 1985 to 1987.-Military career:...	USA	July 1, 1983	June 30, 1985	Promoted to general, 1985
23	VADM Powell F. Carter Jr.	USN	July 1, 1985	August 14, 1987	Promoted to admiral, 1987
24	LTG Robert W. RisCassi Robert W. RisCassi Robert William RisCassi is a retired United States Army four star general who served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1989 to 1990; Commander in Chief, United Nations Command/Commander in Chief, ROK/U.S. Combined Forces Command/Commander, U.S...	USA	August 15, 1987	November 30, 1988	Promoted to general, 1988
25	Lt Gen Hansford T. Johnson Hansford T. Johnson Hansford Tillman Johnson is a retired four star general in the U.S. Air Force who served as the Acting United States Secretary of the Navy, overseeing the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush. He is the only retired Air Force officer to ever...	USAF	December 1, 1988	September 20, 1989	Promoted to general, 1989
*	MajGen Major general (United States) In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general... Gene A. Deegan	USMC United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...	September 21, 1989	September 26, 1989
26	Lt Gen Michael P.C. Carns Michael P.C. Carns Michael Patrick Chamberlain Carns was the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from 1991 to 1994.-Early life:Carns was born in Junction City, Kansas. After graduating from St. John's College High School, Washington, D.C...	USAF	September 27, 1989	May 16, 1991	Promoted to general, 1991
27	Lt Gen Henry Vicellio Jr.	USAF	May 17, 1991	December 1, 1992	Promoted to general, 1992
28	VADM Richard C. Macke Richard C. Macke Richard Chester Macke was a Naval Aviator, an Admiral in the United States Navy and Commander of United States Pacific Command from July 19, 1994 until January 31, 1996. He was fired from that post in November 1995, hours after making comments considered insensitive to reporters about the case of...	USN	December 1, 1992	July 17, 1994	Promoted to admiral, 1994
*	Maj Gen Major general (United States) In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general... Charles T. Robertson Jr.	USAF	July 19, 1994	July 24, 1994	Promoted to general, 1998
29	Lt Gen Walter Kross Walter Kross General Walter Kross is a retired United States Air Force four star general who served as Commander in Chief, U.S. Transportation Command/Commander, Air Mobility Command from 1996 to 1998....	USAF	July 25, 1994	July 12, 1996	Promoted to general, 1996
*	MG Stephen T. Rippe	USA	July 13, 1996	September 13, 1996
30	VADM Dennis C. Blair	USN	September 14, 1996	December 12, 1998	Promoted to admiral, 1999
31	VADM Vernon E. Clark Vern Clark Admiral Vernon E. Clark USN was the Chief of Naval Operations in the United States Navy. He retired 22 July 2005, making his tenure of five years the second-longest serving CNO behind Arleigh Burke. He currently sits on the board of directors of Raytheon and SRI International...	USN	December 12, 1998	July 26, 1999	Promoted to admiral, 1999
32	LtGen Lieutenant General (United States) In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general... Carlton W. Fulford Jr. Carlton W. Fulford, Jr. Carlton W. Fulford, Jr. is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as Deputy Commander in Chief, United States European Command from 2000 to 2002.-Biography:Carlton Fulford, Jr...	USMC	July 26, 1999	July 14, 2000	Promoted to general, 2000
33	VADM Scott A. Fry Scott Fry Vice Admiral Scott Allen Fry , is a former Director of the Joint Staff for the United States Department of Defense, who previously served as Commander, Sixth Fleet....	USN	July 2000	October 2001
34	LTG John P. Abizaid	USA	October 16, 2001	January 23, 2003	Promoted to general, 2003
35	LTG George W. Casey Jr.	USA	January 2003	October 2003	Promoted to general, 2003
36	VADM Timothy J. Keating Timothy J. Keating Timothy J. Keating, is a retired United States Navy admiral. During his career he served as commander of Carrier Group Five, the U.S. 5th Fleet, the U.S. Northern Command and NORAD, and U.S. Pacific Command. He retired in 2009 after over 38 years of service. He was the first Navy officer to head...	USN	October 13, 2003	October 2004	Promoted to admiral, 2004
37	Lt Gen Norton A. Schwartz Norton A. Schwartz Norton Allan Schwartz is a United States Air Force general who is serving as the 19th Chief of Staff of the Air Force. He previously served as Commander, United States Transportation Command from September 2005 to August 2008...	USAF	October 2004	August 2005	Promoted to general, 2005
38	LTG Walter L. Sharp Walter L. Sharp Walter L. "Skip" Sharp , is a retired United States Army four-star general, who last served as the Commander, United Nations Command, Commander, ROK-US Combined Forces Command and Commander, U.S. Forces Korea from June 3, 2008 to July 14, 2011. He previously served as the Director of the Joint...	USA	August 2005	May 2008	Promoted to general, 2008
*	Maj Gen Stephen M. Goldfein	USAF	May 2008	August 2008
39	LTG Stanley A. McChrystal Stanley A. McChrystal Stanley Allen McChrystal is a retired four-star general in the United States Army. His last assignment was as Commander, International Security Assistance Force and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan...	USA	August 2008	June 10, 2009	Promoted to general, 2009
*	RADM Bruce E. Grooms Bruce E. Grooms Bruce Estes Grooms, is a rear admiral in the United States Navy. He previously served as Commander of Submarine Group TWO and currently serves as Vice Director of the Joint Staff...	USN	June 10, 2009	August 2009
40	LTG Lloyd J. Austin III	USA	August 2009	June 30, 2010	Promoted to general, 2010
41	VADM William E. Gortney William E. Gortney William Evans "Bill" Gortney is a vice admiral in the United States Navy. He is the current Director of the Joint Staff. He previously served as Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet...	USN	July 1, 2010	Incumbent

List of Directors of the Joint Staff

See also