The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is by law the highest ranking military officer overall in the United States Armed Forces, and the principal military adviser to the President of the United States. He leads the meetings and coordinates the efforts of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), comprising the Chairman, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chiefs of Staff of the United States Army and United States Air Force, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have offices in The Pentagon. Although the office of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is considered very important and highly prestigious, neither the 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 several combatant commands. However, the Chairman may transmit communications to the commanders of the combatant commands from the President and Secretary of Defense. Fleet AdmiralWilliam D. Leahy, USN, served as Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy (July 20, 1942–March 211949). Leahy's office was the precursor to the post of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Chairman is nominated by the President for appointment and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. By statute, the Chairman is appointed as a four-star officer.
