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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffAir Force Gen. Dan Caine

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The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the nation's highest-ranking military officer and the principal military advisor to the president, the secretary of defense and the National Security Council.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the nation's highest-ranking military officer and the principal military advisor to the president, the secretary of defense and the National Security Council.

About

Air Force Gen. Dan Caine became the 22nd chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on April 11, 2025. Previously, he was the associate director for military affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency. He has served in a wide range of operational, staff and joint assignments, primarily as an F-16 fighter pilot, weapons officer, member of the White House staff and special operations officer. Caine was commissioned in 1990 through the ROTC program at the Virginia Military Institute, and he has a master’s in air warfare from the American Military University.

Full Biography

Joint Chiefs of Staff

Established in January 1942 to expedite strategic coordination during World War II, the Joint Chiefs of Staff have been at the center of U.S. military planning ever since.

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Office of the Secretary of Defense

Top civilian defense decision-makers work with the secretary to develop policy, operational and fiscal plans, manage resources and evaluate programs.