Us Code § 151 - Joint Chiefs of Staff: composition; functions
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 151 — Joint Chiefs of Staff: composition; functions, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 151. Joint Chiefs of Staff: composition; functions
(a)
(1) The Chairman.
(2) The Vice Chairman.
(3) The Chief of Staff of the Army.
(4) The Chief of Naval Operations.
(5) The Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
(6) The Commandant of the Marine Corps.
(7) The Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
(8) The Chief of Space Operations.
(b)
(2) The other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are military advisers to the President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, and the Secretary of Defense as specified in subsection (d).
(c)
(A) the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and
(B) the commanders of the unified and specified combatant commands.
(2) Subject to subsection (d), in presenting advice with respect to any matter to the President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, or the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman shall, as he considers appropriate, inform the President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, or the Secretary of Defense, as the case may be, of the range of military advice and opinion with respect to that matter.
(d)
(2) A member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (other than the Chairman) may submit to the Chairman advice or an opinion in disagreement with, or advice or an opinion in addition to, the advice presented by the Chairman to the President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, or the Secretary of Defense. If a member submits such advice or opinion, the Chairman shall present the advice or opinion of such member at the same time he presents his own advice to the President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, or the Secretary of Defense, as the case may be.
(3) The Chairman shall establish procedures to ensure that the presentation of his own advice to the President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, or the Secretary of Defense is not unduly delayed by reason of the submission of the individual advice or opinion of another member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
[(e) Repealed. Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title IX, §921(a)(2)(C), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2351.]
(f)
(g)
(2) Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the President and the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman shall—
(A) preside over the Joint Chiefs of Staff;
(B) provide agenda for the meetings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (including, as the Chairman considers appropriate, any subject for the agenda recommended by any other member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff);
(C) assist the Joint Chiefs of Staff in carrying on their business as promptly as practicable; and
(D) determine when issues under consideration by the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall be decided.
(Added Pub. L. 99–433, title II, §201, Oct. 1, 1986, 100 Stat. 1005; amended Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title IX, §911(a), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2473; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title IX, §908(a), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3403; Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title V, §512(a), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1393; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title IX, §921(a), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2351; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title IX, §953(c), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1564.)
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2019—Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 116–92 added par. (8).
2016—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 114–328, §921(a)(2)(A), substituted "subsection (d)" for "subsections (d) and (e)".
Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 114–328, §921(a)(1), substituted "as necessary" for "as he considers appropriate" in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 114–328, §921(a)(2)(B), added par. (1) and redesignated former pars. (1) and (2) as (2) and (3), respectively.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 114–328, §921(a)(2)(C), struck out subsec. (e) which required members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to provide advice on request to the President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, or the Secretary of Defense.
2011—Subsec. (a)(7). Pub. L. 112–81 added par. (7).
2006—Subsecs. (b), (c)(2), (d), (e). Pub. L. 109–163 inserted "the Homeland Security Council," after "the National Security Council," wherever appearing.
1992—Subsec. (a)(2) to (6). Pub. L. 102–484 added par. (2) and redesignated former pars. (2) to (5) as (3) to (6), respectively.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2019 Amendment
Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title IX, §953(c), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1564, provided that the amendment made by section 953(c) is effective on the date that is one year after Dec. 20, 2019.
About This Section
10 U.S.C. § 151 is part of Title 10 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 10 U.S.C. § 151. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.