The five main levels of command extend from the Joint Staff (lowest level) to the President (highest level):
- Joint Staff
- Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)
- Chairman, JCS (CJCS)
- Secretary of Defense (SECDEF)
- President or Commander in Chief (CINC)
Joint Staff
Consists of 1,500 military and civilian personnel who assists member of the JCS in carrying out their duties.
JCS
They serve as advisors to the President, SECDEF and the National Security Council. The JCS provide strategic direction of the Armed Forces.
CJCS
This person is the principal military advisor to the President, National Security Council and the SECDEF. The CJCS outranks all other officers in the Armed Forces.
SECDEF
This person is the civilian head of the DoD and reports directly to the President. The SECDEF serves as the principal defense policy advisor to the President.
President or CINC
The US Constitution establishes the basic principle of civilian control of the Armed Forces and assigns the President of the United States as the Commander in Chief or CINC.
The President is the head of the Executive Branch and is subject to the “checks and balances” by the Legislative and Judicial branches of government. Civilian leadership is the key concept in the military organization.