History / Offices

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

25 people have held this office since Jul 20, 1942. Now: Dan Caine.

Holders
25
22 U · 2 R · 1 D
Longest tenure
6.7 years
William D. Leahy
Current
18 months
Dan Caine, since Apr 11, 2025
history/office/chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staffEvery holder, newest first
+25
19501960197019801990200020102020William D. Leahy · 1942-07-20 – 1949-03-21Omar Bradley · 1949-08-19 – 1953-08-15Arthur William Radford · 1953-08-15 – 1957-08-15Nathan Farragut Twining · 1957-08-15 – 1960-09-30Lyman Lemnitzer · 1960-10-01 – 1962-09-30Maxwell D. Taylor · 1962-10-01 – 1964-07-01Earle Wheeler · 1964-07-03 – 1970-07-02Thomas Hinman Moorer · 1970-07-02 – 1974-07-01George Scratchley Brown · 1974-07-01 – 1978-06-20David C. Jones · 1978-06-21 – 1982-06-18John William Vessey · 1982-06-18 – 1985-09-30William J. Crowe · 1985-10-01 – 1989-09-30 · DemocratColin Powell · 1989-10-01 – 1993-09-30 · RepublicanDavid E. Jeremiah · 1993-10-01 – 1993-10-24John Shalikashvili · 1993-10-25 – 1997-09-30Hugh Shelton · 1997-10-01 – 2001-09-30Richard Bowman Myers · 2001-10-01 – 2005-09-30Peter Pace · 2005-10-01 – 2007-09-30 · RepublicanMichael Mullen · 2007-10-01 – 2011-09-30Martin Dempsey · 2011-10-01 – 2015-09-25Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. · 2015-10-01 – 2019-09-30Mark A. Milley · 2019-10-01 – 2023-09-29Charles Q. Brown Jr. · 2023-10-01 – 2025-02-21Christopher W. Grady · 2025-02-21 – 2025-04-11Dan Caine · 2025-04-11 – present
Dan Caine
Apr 11, 2025 – present · 18 months · appointed by Donald Trump
Christopher W. Grady
Feb 21, 2025 – Apr 11, 2025 · 2 months · appointed by Donald Trump
Charles Q. Brown Jr.
Oct 1, 2023 – Feb 21, 2025 · 17 months · appointed by Joe Biden
Mark A. Milley
Oct 1, 2019 – Sep 29, 2023 · 4 years · appointed by Phil Baker
Joseph F. Dunford, Jr.
Oct 1, 2015 – Sep 30, 2019 · 4 years · appointed by Barack Obama
Martin Dempsey
Oct 1, 2011 – Sep 25, 2015 · 4 years · appointed by Barack Obama
Michael Mullen
Oct 1, 2007 – Sep 30, 2011 · 4 years · appointed by George W. Bush
Peter Pace R
Oct 1, 2005 – Sep 30, 2007 · 2 years · appointed by George W. Bush
Richard Bowman Myers
Oct 1, 2001 – Sep 30, 2005 · 4 years · appointed by George W. Bush
Hugh Shelton
Oct 1, 1997 – Sep 30, 2001 · 4 years · appointed by Bill Clinton
John Shalikashvili
Oct 25, 1993 – Sep 30, 1997 · 3.9 years · appointed by Bill Clinton
David E. Jeremiah (acting)
Oct 1, 1993 – Oct 24, 1993 · 23 days
Colin Powell R
Oct 1, 1989 – Sep 30, 1993 · 4 years · appointed by George H. W. Bush
William J. Crowe D
Oct 1, 1985 – Sep 30, 1989 · 4 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan
John William Vessey
Jun 18, 1982 – Sep 30, 1985 · 3.3 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan
David C. Jones
Jun 21, 1978 – Jun 18, 1982 · 4 years · appointed by Jimmy Carter
George Scratchley Brown
Jul 1, 1974 – Jun 20, 1978 · 4 years · appointed by Richard Nixon
Thomas Hinman Moorer
Jul 2, 1970 – Jul 1, 1974 · 4 years · appointed by Richard Nixon
Earle Wheeler
Jul 3, 1964 – Jul 2, 1970 · 6 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson
Maxwell D. Taylor
Oct 1, 1962 – Jul 1, 1964 · 21 months · appointed by John F. Kennedy
Lyman Lemnitzer
Oct 1, 1960 – Sep 30, 1962 · 2 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Nathan Farragut Twining
Aug 15, 1957 – Sep 30, 1960 · 3.1 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Arthur William Radford
Aug 15, 1953 – Aug 15, 1957 · 4 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Omar Bradley
Aug 19, 1949 – Aug 15, 1953 · 4 years · appointed by Harry S. Truman
William D. Leahy
Jul 20, 1942 – Mar 21, 1949 · 6.7 years · appointed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Dates are from Wikidata, which has gaps for some historical offices. Consecutive terms of one person are merged.