Chief of Staff of the Army
Army Staff Identification Badge
Flag of the chief of staff
Incumbent General Christopher LaNeve[1] Acting  since 2 April 2026
Department of the Army Army Staff
Type	United States Army service chief
Abbreviation	CSA
Member of	Joint Chiefs of Staff
Reports to	Secretary of the Army
Residence	Quarters 1, Fort Myer
Seat	The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia
Appointer	The president with Senate advice and consent
Term length	4 years Renewable one time, only during war or national emergency
Constituting instrument	10 U.S.C. § 3033
Precursor	Commanding General of the Army
Formation	15 August 1903
First holder	LTG Samuel B. M. Young
Deputy	Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
Website	www.army.mil

The chief of staff of the Army (CSA) is a statutory position in the United States Army held by a general officer. As the highest-ranking officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, the chief is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the secretary of the Army. In a separate capacity, the CSA is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (10 U.S.C. § 151) and, thereby, a military advisor to the National Security Council, the secretary of defense, and the president of the United States. The CSA is typically the highest-ranking officer on active duty in the U.S. Army unless the chairman or the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are Army officers.

The chief of staff of the Army is an administrative position based in the Pentagon. While the CSA does not have operational command authority over Army forces proper (which is within the purview of the combatant commanders who report to the secretary of defense), the CSA does exercise supervision of army units and organizations as the designee of the secretary of the Army.

The former chief of staff of the Army is General Randy George, who was sworn in on 21 September 2023, having previously served as acting CSA from 4 August. After he was removed on 2 April 2026, General Christopher LaNeve became the acting chief of staff.^[1]

The chief of staff of the Army is nominated for appointment by the president, for a four-year term of office,^[2] and must be confirmed by the Senate.^[2] The chief can be reappointed to serve one additional term, but only during times of war or national emergency declared by Congress.^[2] By statute, the chief is a four-star general.^[2]

The chief has an official residence, Quarters 1 at Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall, Virginia.

The senior leadership of the Department of the Army consists of two civilians—the secretary of the Army (head of the department and subordinate to the secretary of defense) and the under secretary of the Army—and two military officers—the chief of staff of the Army and the vice chief of staff of the Army.

The chief reports directly to the secretary of the Army for army matters and assists in the secretary's external affairs functions, including presenting and enforcing army policies, plans, and projections. The chief also directs the inspector general of the Army to perform inspections and investigations as required. In addition, the chief presides over the Army Staff and represents Army capabilities, requirements, policy, plans, and programs in Joint forums.^[3] Under delegation of authority made by the secretary of the Army, the chief designates army personnel and army resources to the commanders of the unified combatant commands.^[4] The chief performs all other functions enumerated in 10 U.S.C. § 3033 under the authority, direction, and control of the secretary of the Army, or delegates those duties and responsibilities to other officers in his administration in his name. Like the other service counterparts, the chief has no operational command authority over army forces, dating back to the passage of the Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1958. The chief is served by a number of deputy chiefs of staff of the Army, such as G-1, Personnel. The chief's base pay is $21,147.30 per month and also received a personal money allowance (monthly amount) of $333.33, a basic allowance for subsistence of $253.38, and a basic allowance for housing from $50.70 to $1,923.30.

In the 19th century the American land military used the title of "General-in-Chief" beginning with Gen. James Wilkinson (1757-1825), and later for several decades of commanding Gen. Winfield Scott (1786-1866). Later Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), given the title after being recalled to come east from the Western Theater of the Civil War in 1864. By 1903, the senior military officer in the army was the commanding general of the United States Army, who reported to the U.S. secretary of war. From 1864 to 1865, Major General Henry Halleck (1815-1872), who had previously been Commanding General earlier in the war, served as "Chief of Staff of the Army" under the newly appointed Commanding General, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, thus serving in a different office and not as the senior officer in the army. Halleck was centered in the old brick War Department building adjacent west of the White House, along with the War Secretary, whereas Gen. Grant was out in the field.

The first chief of staff moved his headquarters to Fort Myer in northern Virginia, near the national capital of Washington, D.C. in 1908.^{[clarification needed]}

The rank listed is the rank when serving in the office.

No.	Portrait	Name	Term			Branch	Secretaries served under:		Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Duration		War / Army	Defense
1		Young, Samuel Baldwin MarksLieutenant General Samuel B. M. Young (1840–1924)	15 August 1903	8 January 1904	146 days	Cavalry	Elihu Root	—	[5]
2		Chaffee, AdnaLieutenant General Adna R. Chaffee (1842–1914)	9 January 1904	14 January 1906	2 years, 5 days	Cavalry	Elihu Root William Howard Taft	—	[5]
3		Bates, JohnLieutenant General John C. Bates (1842–1919)	15 January 1906	13 April 1906	89 days	Infantry	William Howard Taft	—	[5]
4		Bell, JamesMajor General J. Franklin Bell (1856–1919)	14 April 1906	21 April 1910	4 years, 7 days	Cavalry	William Howard Taft Luke Edward Wright Jacob M. Dickinson	—	[5]
5		Wood, LeonardMajor General Leonard Wood (1860–1927)	22 April 1910	21 April 1914	3 years, 364 days	Medical and cavalry	Jacob M. Dickinson Henry L. Stimson Lindley Miller Garrison	—	[5]
6		Wotherspoon, WilliamMajor General William W. Wotherspoon (1850–1921)	22 April 1914	16 November 1914	208 days	Infantry	Lindley Miller Garrison	—	[5]
7		Scott, HughMajor General Hugh L. Scott (1853–1934)	17 November 1914	22 September 1917	2 years, 309 days	Cavalry	Lindley Miller Garrison Newton D. Baker	—	[5]
8		Bliss, TaskerGeneral Tasker H. Bliss (1853–1930)	23 September 1917	19 May 1918	238 days	Field artillery	Newton D. Baker	—	[5]
9		March, PeytonGeneral Peyton C. March (1864–1955)	20 May 1918	30 June 1921	3 years, 41 days	Field artillery	Newton D. Baker John W. Weeks	—	[5]
10		Pershing, JohnGeneral of the Armies John J. Pershing (1860–1948)	1 July 1921	13 September 1924	3 years, 74 days	Cavalry	John W. Weeks	—	[5]
11		Hines, JohnMajor General John L. Hines (1868–1968)	14 September 1924	20 November 1926	2 years, 68 days	Infantry	John W. Weeks Dwight F. Davis	—	[5]
12		Summerall, CharlesGeneral Charles P. Summerall (1867–1955)	21 November 1926	20 November 1930	3 years, 364 days	Infantry and artillery	Dwight F. Davis James William Good Patrick J. Hurley	—	[5]
13		MacArthur, DouglasGeneral Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964)	21 November 1930	1 October 1935	4 years, 315 days	Infantry and engineers	Patrick J. Hurley George Dern	—	[5]
14		Craig, MalinGeneral Malin Craig (1875–1945)	2 October 1935	31 August 1939	3 years, 333 days	Infantry and cavalry	George Dern Harry Hines Woodring	—	[5]
15		Marshall, GeorgeGeneral of the Army George C. Marshall (1880–1959)	1 September 1939	18 November 1945	6 years, 78 days	Infantry	Harry Hines Woodring Henry L. Stimson Robert P. Patterson	—	[5]
16		Eisenhower, DwightGeneral of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969)	19 November 1945	6 February 1948	2 years, 79 days	Infantry	Robert P. Patterson (of War) Kenneth Claiborne Royall (of War, 1947; of the Army, 1947–1949)	James Forrestal (from Sep. 1947)	[5]
17		Bradley, OmarGeneral Omar N. Bradley (1893–1981)	7 February 1948	15 August 1949[a]	1 year, 189 days	Infantry	Kenneth Claiborne Royall Gordon Gray	James Forrestal Louis A. Johnson	[5]
18		Collins, JosephGeneral J. Lawton Collins (1896–1987)	16 August 1949[b]	14 August 1953	3 years, 363 days	Infantry	Gordon Gray Frank Pace Robert T. Stevens	Louis A. Johnson George C. Marshall Robert A. Lovett Charles Erwin Wilson	[5]
19		Ridgway, MatthewGeneral Matthew B. Ridgway (1895–1993)	15 August 1953	29 June 1955	1 year, 319 days	Infantry	Robert T. Stevens	Charles Erwin Wilson	[5]
20		Taylor, MaxwellGeneral Maxwell D. Taylor (1901–1987)	30 June 1955	30 June 1959[c]	4 years, 0 days	Field artillery	Robert T. Stevens Wilber M. Brucker	Charles Erwin Wilson Neil H. McElroy	[5]
21		Lemnitzer, LymanGeneral Lyman L. Lemnitzer (1899–1988)	1 July 1959[b]	30 September 1960[a]	1 year, 91 days	Infantry and coast artillery	Wilber M. Brucker	Neil H. McElroy Thomas S. Gates Jr.	[5]
22		Decker, GeorgeGeneral George H. Decker (1902–1980)	1 October 1960[b]	30 September 1962	1 year, 364 days	Infantry	Wilber M. Brucker Elvis Stahr Jr. Cyrus Vance	Thomas S. Gates Jr. Robert McNamara	[5]
23		Wheeler, EarleGeneral Earle G. Wheeler (1908–1975)	1 October 1962	2 July 1964[a]	1 year, 275 days	Infantry and armor	Cyrus Vance Stephen Ailes	Robert McNamara	[5]
24		Johnson, HaroldGeneral Harold K. Johnson (1912–1983)	3 July 1964	2 July 1968	3 years, 365 days	Infantry and cavalry	Stephen Ailes Stanley Rogers Resor	Robert McNamara Clark Clifford	[5]
25		Westmoreland, WilliamGeneral William C. Westmoreland (1914–2005)	3 July 1968	30 June 1972	3 years, 363 days	Field artillery	Stanley Rogers Resor Robert Froehlke	Clark Clifford Melvin Laird	[5]
–		Palmer, BruceGeneral Bruce Palmer Jr. (1913–2000) Acting [d]	1 July 1972	11 October 1972	102 days	Infantry and cavalry	Robert Froehlke	Melvin Laird	[5]
26		Abrams, CreightonGeneral Creighton W. Abrams Jr. (1914–1974)	12 October 1972	4 September 1974 †	1 year, 327 days	Armor	Robert Froehlke Bo Callaway	Melvin Laird Elliot Richardson James R. Schlesinger	[5]
–[d]		General Frederick C. Weyand (1916–2010)	5 September 1974	4 October 1974	29 days	Infantry and intelligence	Bo Callaway Martin R. Hoffmann	James R. Schlesinger Donald Rumsfeld	[6][7]
27			4 October 1974	30 September 1976	1 year, 362 days				[5]
28		Rogers, BernardGeneral Bernard W. Rogers (1921–2008) [e]	1 October 1976	21 June 1979	2 years, 263 days	Infantry	Martin R. Hoffmann Clifford Alexander Jr.	Donald Rumsfeld Harold Brown	[5]
29		Meyer, EdwardGeneral Edward C. Meyer (1928–2020)	22 June 1979	21 June 1983	3 years, 364 days	Infantry	Clifford Alexander Jr. John O. Marsh Jr.	Harold Brown Caspar Weinberger	[5]
30		Wickham, JohnGeneral John A. Wickham Jr. (1928–2024)	23 June 1983[b]	23 June 1987	4 years, 0 days	Infantry and cavalry	John O. Marsh Jr.	Caspar Weinberger	[5]
31		Vuono, CarlGeneral Carl E. Vuono (born 1934)	23 June 1987	21 June 1991	3 years, 363 days	Field artillery	John O. Marsh Jr. Michael P. W. Stone	Caspar Weinberger Frank Carlucci Dick Cheney	[5]
32		Sullivan, GordonGeneral Gordon R. Sullivan (1937–2024)	21 June 1991[b]	20 June 1995	3 years, 364 days	Armor and mechanized infantry	Michael P. W. Stone Togo D. West Jr.	Dick Cheney Les Aspin William J. Perry	[5]
33		Reimer, DennisGeneral Dennis J. Reimer (born 1939)	20 June 1995	21 June 1999	4 years, 1 day	Artillery and mechanized infantry	Togo D. West Jr. Louis Caldera	William J. Perry William Cohen	[5]
34		Shinseki, EricGeneral Eric K. Shinseki (born 1942) [f]	21 June 1999[b]	11 June 2003	3 years, 355 days	Cavalry	Louis Caldera Thomas E. White	William Cohen Donald Rumsfeld	[5]
–		Keane, JohnGeneral John M. Keane (born 1943) Acting [d]	11 June 2003	1 August 2003	51 days	Infantry	None[g]	Donald Rumsfeld	[8]
35		Schoomaker, PeterGeneral Peter J. Schoomaker (born 1946) [h]	1 August 2003	10 April 2007	3 years, 252 days	Cavalry and Special Forces	Francis J. Harvey Pete Geren	Donald Rumsfeld Robert Gates	[5]
36		Casey, GeorgeGeneral George W. Casey Jr. (born 1948)	10 April 2007	11 April 2011	4 years, 1 day	Armor and mechanized infantry	Pete Geren John M. McHugh	Robert Gates	[9]
37		Dempsey, MartinGeneral Martin E. Dempsey (born 1952)	11 April 2011	7 September 2011[a]	149 days	Armor and armored cavalry	John M. McHugh	Robert Gates Leon Panetta	[10]
38		Odierno, RaymondGeneral Raymond T. Odierno (1954–2021)	7 September 2011	14 August 2015	3 years, 341 days	Field artillery	John M. McHugh	Leon Panetta Chuck Hagel Ash Carter	[11]
39		Milley, MarkGeneral Mark A. Milley (born 1958)	14 August 2015	9 August 2019[a]	3 years, 360 days	Armor and light infantry	John M. McHugh Eric Fanning Mark Esper Ryan D. McCarthy	Ash Carter Jim Mattis Mark Esper	[12]
40		McConville, JamesGeneral James C. McConville (born 1959)	9 August 2019[b]	4 August 2023	3 years, 360 days	Aviation and cavalry	Ryan D. McCarthy Christine Wormuth	Mark Esper Lloyd Austin	[13]
–[d]		General Randy A. George (born 1964)	4 August 2023	21 September 2023	48 days	Infantry	Christine Wormuth Daniel P. Driscoll	Lloyd Austin Pete Hegseth	[14]
41			21 September 2023	2 April 2026	2 years, 193 days				[15]
–[d]		LaNeve, ChristopherGeneral Christopher C. LaNeve Acting	2 April 2026	Incumbent	4 days	Infantry	Daniel P. Driscoll	Pete Hegseth	[16]

• Sergeant Major of the Army
• Army Staff Senior Warrant Officer
• Chief Warrant Officer of the Army
• Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army
• Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States Army

• Hewes Jr., James E. From Root to McNamara: Army Organization and Administration, 1900–1963 (1975) .
• Semsch, Philip L. "Elihu Root and the General Staff." Military Affairs (1963): 16–27.
• Skowronek, Stephen. Building a New American State: The Expansion of National Administrative Capacities, 1877–1920 (Cambridge University Press, 1982) pp 212–247.
• Watson, Mark Skinner. Chief of Staff: Prewar Plans and Preparations. United States Army in World War II. Washington D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History. Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2010. - full text
• White, Richard D. "Civilian management of the military: Elihu Root and the 1903 reorganization of the army general staff." Journal of Management History (1998) 4#1 (1998), pp. 43–59.

• The short film Big Picture: Top Soldier is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive.