Past Chairmen of the JCS

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces and the main military adviser to the President of the United States. Below is a list of all former Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

• General of the Army, Omar N. Bradley, 1949-1953
• Adm. Arthur W. Radford, U.S. Navy, 1953-1957
• Gen. Nathan F. Twining, U.S. Air Force, 1957-1960
• Gen. Lyman L. Lemnitzer, U.S. Army, 1960-1962
• Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor, U.S. Army, 1962-1964
• Gen. Earle G. Wheeler, U.S. Army, 1964-1970
• Adm. Thomas H. Moorer, U.S. Navy, 1970-1974
• Gen. George S. Brown, U.S. Air Force, 1974-1978
• Gen. David C. Jones, U.S. Air Force, 1978-1982
• Gen. John W. Vessey, Jr., U.S. Army, 1982-1985
• Adm. William J. Crowe, U.S. Navy, 1985-1989
• Gen. Colin L. Powell, U.S. Army, 1989-1993
• Gen. John M. Shalikashvili, U.S. Army, 1993-1997
• Gen. Henry H. Shelton, U.S. Army, 1997-2001
• Gen. Richard B. Myers, U.S. Air Force, 2001-2005
• Gen. Peter Pace, U.S. Marine Corps, 2005-2007
• Adm. Michael Mullen, U.S. Navy, 2007-2011
• Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, U.S. Army, 2011-2015