Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army

Summary

The vice chief of staff of the Army (VCSA) is the principal deputy to the chief of staff of the Army, and is the second-highest-ranking officer on active duty in the Department of the Army.

Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
Army Staff Identification Badge
Flag of the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
Incumbent
General James J. Mingus
since January 5, 2024
Department of the Army
Army Staff
AbbreviationVCSA
Member ofArmy Staff
Joint Requirements Oversight Council
Reports toChief of Staff of the Army
SeatThe Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Term lengthNot fixed
Constituting instrument10 U.S.C. § 7034
PrecursorDeputy Chief of Staff of the United States Army
FormationNovember 1, 1948
First holderGEN J. Lawton Collins
SuccessionFirst in Chief of Staff succession
DeputyDirector of the Army Staff
Websitewww.army.mil/

The vice chief of staff generally handles the day-to-day administration of the Army Staff, freeing the chief of staff to attend to the interservice responsibilities of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. By statute, the vice chief of staff is appointed as a four-star general in the United States Army while so serving.

The 39th and current vice chief of staff of the Army is General James J. Mingus.

Role edit

 
Gen. Eric Shinseki, chief of staff of the Army, swears in Gen. Jack Keane as the 29th vice chief of staff of the Army on June 22, 1999.

The senior leadership of the U.S. Department of the Army consists of two civilians, the secretary of the Army and the under secretary of the Army, as well as two commissioned officers, the Army Chief of Staff and the Army Vice Chief of Staff.

Under the supervision and direction of the secretary of the Army (who in turn is under the authority, direction and control of the secretary of defense) the vice chief of staff assists the chief of staff on missions and functions related to their duties. The vice chief of staff also assists the chief of staff in the management/oversight of U.S. Army installations and facilities.

Furthermore, the vice chief of staff may also represent the Army at the Office of the Secretary of Defense/Joint Staff level in areas relating to the chief of staff's responsibility and U.S. Army capabilities, requirements, policy, plans, and programs. The vice chief of staff is the designated Army representative to the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC).

If the chief of staff is incapacitated or otherwise relieved of duty, the vice chief of staff serves as the acting chief of staff. If both the chief of staff and the vice chief of staff were to be incapacitated, the senior-most general on the Army Staff would become the acting chief of staff of the Army until someone else is appointed.[1][2]

Appointment edit

The vice chief of staff of the Army is appointed by the president, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from among the general officers of the Army.

Unlike the chief of staff of the Army, there is no fixed term nor term limit to the position of the vice chief of staff, although most of those appointed to the office have typically served for two or three year tenures.

List of Vice Chiefs of Staff of the Army edit

No. Portrait Vice Chief of Staff[3] Took office Left office Time in office Chief of Staff
1
 
Collins, Joseph LawtonGeneral
J. Lawton Collins
(1896–1987)
November 1, 1948August 15, 1949
(became CSA)
287 daysOmar Bradley
2
 
Haislip, Wade HamptonGeneral
Wade H. Haislip
(1889–1971)
August 16, 1949July 29, 1951
(retired)
1 year, 347 daysJ. Lawton Collins
3
 
Hull, John EdwinGeneral
John E. Hull
(1895–1975)
July 30, 1951August 14, 1953
(reassigned)
2 years, 15 daysJ. Lawton Collins
4
 
Bolte, Charles LawrenceGeneral
Charles L. Bolte
(1895–1989)
August 15, 1953June 29, 1955
(retired)
1 year, 318 daysMatthew Ridgway
5
 
Palmer, Williston BirkhimerGeneral
Williston B. Palmer
(1899–1973)
June 30, 1955May 31, 1957
(reassigned)
1 year, 335 daysMaxwell D. Taylor
6
 
Lemnitzer, Lyman LouisGeneral
Lyman L. Lemnitzer
(1899–1988)
June 1, 1957June 30, 1959
(became CSA)
2 years, 29 daysMaxwell D. Taylor
7
 
Decker, George HenryGeneral
George H. Decker
(1902–1980)
July 1, 1959September 29, 1960
(became CSA)
1 year, 90 daysLyman Lemnitzer
8
 
Eddleman, Clyde DavisGeneral
Clyde D. Eddleman
(1902–1992)
September 30, 1960March 31, 1962
(retired)
1 year, 181 daysGeorge Decker
9
 
Hamlett, BarksdaleGeneral
Barksdale Hamlett
(1908–1979)
April 1, 1962September 3, 1964
(retired)
2 years, 155 daysGeorge Decker
Earle Wheeler
Harold K. Johnson
10
 
Abrams, Creighton Williams Jr.General
Creighton W. Abrams Jr.
(1914–1974)
September 4, 1964April 30, 1967
(reassigned)
2 years, 238 daysHarold K. Johnson
11
 
Haines, Ralph Edward Jr.General
Ralph E. Haines Jr.
(1913–2011)
May 1, 1967July 2, 1968
(reassigned)
1 year, 62 daysHarold K. Johnson
12
 
Palmer, Bruce Jr.General
Bruce Palmer Jr.
(1913–2000)
July 3, 1968January 4, 1973
(reassigned)
4 years, 185 daysWilliam Westmoreland
Creighton Abrams
13
 
Haig, AlexanderGeneral
Alexander M. Haig Jr.
(1924–2010)
January 4, 1973May 4, 1973
(reassigned)
120 daysCreighton Abrams
14
 
Weyand, Frederick CarltonGeneral
Frederick C. Weyand
(1916–2010)
May 4, 1973October 20, 1974
(became CSA)
1 year, 169 daysCreighton Abrams
Himself (acting)
15
 
Kerwin, Walter Thomas Jr.General
Walter T. Kerwin Jr.
(1917–2008)
October 21, 1974September 23, 1978
(retired)
3 years, 337 daysFrederick C. Weyand
Bernard W. Rogers
16
 
Kroesen, Frederick James Jr.General
Frederick J. Kroesen
(1923–2020)
October 26, 1978October 7, 1979
(reassigned)
346 daysBernard W. Rogers
Edward C. Meyer
17
 
Vessey, John William Jr.General
John W. Vessey Jr.
(1922–2016)
October 10, 1979January 19, 1982
(became JCS chairman)
2 years, 101 daysEdward C. Meyer
18
 
Wickham, John Adams Jr.General
John A. Wickham Jr.
(born 1928)
January 27, 1982June 22, 1983
(became CSA)
1 year, 146 daysEdward C. Meyer
19
 
Thurman, Maxwell ReidGeneral
Maxwell R. Thurman
(1931–1995)
August 26, 1983February 4, 1987
(reassigned)
3 years, 162 daysJohn A. Wickham Jr.
20
 
Brown, Arthur Edmon Jr.General
Arthur E. Brown Jr.
(born 1929)
February 15, 1987January 20, 1989
(retired)
1 year, 340 daysJohn A. Wickham Jr.
Carl E. Vuono
21
 
RisCassi, Robert WilliamGeneral
Robert W. RisCassi
(born 1936)
January 21, 1989December 10, 1990
(reassigned)
1 year, 323 daysCarl E. Vuono
22
 
Sullivan, Gordon RussellGeneral
Gordon R. Sullivan
(born 1937)
December 17, 1990June 20, 1991
(became CSA)
185 daysCarl E. Vuono
23
 
Reimer, Dennis JoeGeneral
Dennis J. Reimer
(born 1939)
June 21, 1991January 20, 1993
(reassigned)
1 year, 213 daysGordon R. Sullivan
24
 
Peay, James Henry Binford IIIGeneral
J. H. Binford Peay III
(born 1940)
January 23, 1993January 15, 1994
(reassigned)
357 daysGordon R. Sullivan
25
 
Tilelli, John Harold Jr.General
John H. Tilelli Jr.
(born 1941)
January 20, 1994January 2, 1995
(reassigned)
347 daysGordon R. Sullivan
26
 
Griffith, Ronald HoustonGeneral
Ronald H. Griffith
(1936–2018)
January 26, 1995July 20, 1997
(retired)
2 years, 175 daysGordon R. Sullivan
Dennis Reimer
27
 
Crouch, William WrightGeneral
William W. Crouch
(born 1941)
August 6, 1997November 22, 1998
(retired)
1 year, 108 daysDennis Reimer
28
 
Shinseki, Eric KenGeneral
Eric K. Shinseki
(born 1942)
November 24, 1998June 21, 1999
(became CSA)
209 daysDennis Reimer
29
 
Keane, John M.General
John M. Keane
(born 1943)
June 22, 1999October 16, 2003
(retired)
4 years, 116 daysEric Shinseki
Peter Schoomaker
30
 
Casey, George William Jr.General
George W. Casey Jr.
(born 1948)
October 17, 2003July 23, 2004
(reassigned)
280 daysPeter Schoomaker
31
 
Cody, Richard ArthurGeneral
Richard A. Cody
(born 1950)
July 24, 2004July 31, 2008
(retired)
4 years, 7 daysPeter Schoomaker
George W. Casey Jr.
32
 
Chiarelli, Peter WilliamGeneral
Peter W. Chiarelli
(born 1950)
August 4, 2008January 31, 2012
(retired)
3 years, 180 daysGeorge W. Casey Jr.
Martin Dempsey
Raymond T. Odierno
33
 
Austin, Lloyd James IIIGeneral
Lloyd J. Austin III
(born 1953)
January 31, 2012March 8, 2013
(reassigned)
1 year, 36 daysRaymond T. Odierno
34
 
Campbell, John FrancisGeneral
John F. Campbell
(born 1957)
March 8, 2013August 8, 2014
(reassigned)
1 year, 153 daysRaymond T. Odierno
35
 
Allyn, Daniel BartlettGeneral
Daniel B. Allyn
(born 1959)
August 15, 2014[4]June 16, 2017
(retired)
2 years, 305 daysRaymond T. Odierno
Mark A. Milley
36
 
McConville, James CharlesGeneral
James C. McConville
(born 1959)
June 16, 2017[5]July 26, 2019
(became CSA)
2 years, 40 daysMark A. Milley
37
 
Martin, Joseph MatthewGeneral
Joseph M. Martin
(born 1962)
July 26, 2019August 5, 2022
(retired)
3 years, 10 daysMark A. Milley
James C. McConville
38
 
George, Randy AlanGeneral
Randy A. George
(born 1964)
August 5, 2022[6]September 21, 2023
(became CSA)
1 year, 47 daysJames C. McConville
39
 
Mingus, JamesGeneral
James J. Mingus
(born 1964)
January 5, 2024[7]Incumbent68 daysRandy A. George

Timeline edit

James J. MingusRandy GeorgeJoseph M. MartinJames C. McConvilleDaniel B. AllynJohn F. Campbell (general)Lloyd AustinPeter W. ChiarelliRichard A. CodyGeorge W. Casey Jr.Jack KeaneEric ShinsekiWilliam W. CrouchRonald H. GriffithJohn H. Tilelli Jr.J. H. Binford Peay IIIDennis ReimerGordon R. SullivanRobert W. RisCassiArthur E. Brown Jr.Maxwell R. ThurmanJohn A. Wickham Jr.John William Vessey Jr.Frederick KroesenWalter T. Kerwin Jr.Frederick C. WeyandAlexander HaigBruce Palmer Jr.Ralph E. Haines Jr.Creighton AbramsBarksdale HamlettClyde D. EddlemanGeorge DeckerLyman LemnitzerWilliston B. PalmerCharles L. BolteJohn E. HullWade H. HaislipJ. Lawton Collins

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "General Richard Cody - Vice Chief of Staff Army". Archived from the original on September 12, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  2. ^ "WAIS Document Retrieval". Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  3. ^ Hewes, James E. Jr. (1983) [1975]. "Appendix B". From Root to McNamara Army Organization and Administration. Special Studies. Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
  4. ^ Hinnant, Jim (15 August 2014). "Milley takes FORSCOM colors as Army's new vice chief of staff departs Fort Bragg". The United States Army. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  5. ^ Panzino, Charlsy (16 June 2017). "Army personnel chief sworn in as vice chief of staff". ArmyTimes. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  6. ^ Stitt, Douglas F. (August 5, 2022). Promotion Ceremony for MG Douglas Stitt to LTG (video). Army Multimedia and Visual Information Directorate. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  7. ^ Mingus, James J. (January 5, 2024). Promotion and Swearing-In Ceremony iho LTG Mingus (video). Army Multimedia and Visual Information Directorate. Retrieved January 6, 2024.

External links edit

  • Official Website