The
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (
VJCS) is, by U.S. law, the second highest-ranking military officer in the
United States Armed Forces ranking just below the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Vice Chairman outranks all respective heads of each service branch, with the exception of the Chairman, but does not have operational command authority over their service branches. The
Goldwater–Nichols Act of 1986 created the position of VJCS to assist the Chairman in exercising his duties. In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman presides over the meetings of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff and all other duties prescribed under and may also perform other duties that the
President, the Chairman, or the
Secretary of Defense prescribes.