Chiefs of Staff Committee

The Tri-Service Badge of the British Armed Forces

The Chiefs of Staff Committee (CSC) is composed of the most senior

First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, the Chief of the General Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff

.

History

The Chiefs of Staff Committee was initially established as a sub-committee of the

First Sea Lord, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff

. Each service head took turns being chairman of the committee.

During the Second World War the committee was a sub-committee of the

Joint Intelligence Committee. The Chiefs of Staff Committee was responsible for the overall conduct of the British Armed Forces part of the war effort. When matters required joint Anglo-American decision, the Chiefs of Staff Committee members formed part of the Combined Chiefs of Staff, meeting in concert with their American counterparts, the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Combined Chiefs of Staff were based in Washington, so for most of the time the Chiefs of Staff were represented at meetings by the British Joint Staff Mission

.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, 24th and current Chief of the Defence Staff

(Chairman).

Following World War II, the Chiefs of Staff Committee was transferred to the

Ministry of Defence

.

In 1955 the Government decided to create the post of Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Commander, Joint Forces Command

on the committee.

Senior Enlisted Advisor

A Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chiefs of Staff Committee was appointed on 1 November 2018 to provide advice to the committee on the views of Other Ranks.^[3]

Membership

The current membership of the Chiefs of Staff Committee:^[4]

Office	Incumbent	Incumbent since	Service
Chief of the Defence Staff (Chair)	Admiral Sir Tony Radakin	November 2021	Royal Navy
Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff (Vice-Chair)	General Gwyn Jenkins	August 2022	Royal Marines
First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff	Admiral Sir Ben Key	November 2021	Royal Navy
Chief of the General Staff	General Sir Patrick Sanders	June 2022	British Army
Chief of the Air Staff	Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton	June 2023	Royal Air Force
Commander Strategic Command	General Sir James Hockenhull	May 2022	British Army