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The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide-de-camp to an important individual, such as a president, or a senior military officer, or leader of a large organization.[1][2]
In general, a chief of staff provides a buffer between a chief executive and that executive's direct-reporting team. The chief of staff generally works behind the scenes to solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before they are brought to the chief executive.[1] Often chiefs of staff act as a confidant and advisor to the chief executive, acting as a sounding board for ideas. Ultimately the actual duties depend on the position and the people involved.[1]
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Government
Australia
Brazil
Canada
Colombia
Germany
India
Nigeria
Pakistan
Philippines
- Chief of Staff (Philippines), a former position in the Cabinet of the Philippines, serving under the President of the Philippines
- Special Assistant to the President
South Korea
- Chief Presidential Secretary, chief of staff to the President of South Korea
Spain
United Kingdom
- Private Secretary to the Sovereign
- Downing Street Chief of Staff
- Cabinet Secretary
- Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
- Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Scotland
United States of America
- Chief of staff, the most senior staff member in the office of a member of the United States Congress
- White House Chief of Staff[2]
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In general, the positions listed below are not "chiefs of staff" as defined at the top of this page; they are the heads of the various forces/commands and tend to have subordinates that fulfill the "chief of staff" roles.[citation needed]
In general
Azerbaijan
- Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces - head of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces
Canada
France
- Chief of the Defence Staff (French: Chef d'État-Major des Armées, CEMA)
- Chief of Staff of the French Air Force (French: Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de l'Air, CEMAA)
- Chief of Staff of the French Army (French: Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de Terre, CEMAT)
- Chief of Staff of the French Navy (French: Chef d'État-Major de la Marine, CEMM)
- Chief of Staff of the French Gendarmerie (French: Directeur-Général de la Gendarmerie, DGGN)
Ghana
Greece
- Chief of the Defence Staff (Greece)
- Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Air Force
- Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Army
- Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Navy
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
- Chief of the Defence Staff
- Chief of the Army Staff
- Chief of the Navy Staff
- Chief of the Air Force Staff
Pakistan
Philippines
- Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, later renamed to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, AFP - exercises command and control over all elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Portugal
- Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (Portuguese: Chefe do Estado-Maior-General das Forças Armadas, CEMGFA) - operational commander of the Portuguese Armed Forces
- Chief of Staff of the Navy (Portuguese: Chefe do Estado-Maior da Armada, CEMA) - commander of the Portuguese Navy
- Chief of Staff of the Army (Portuguese: Chefe do Estado-Maior do Exército, CEME) - commander of the Portuguese Army
- Chief of Staff of the Air Force (Portuguese: Chefe do Estado-Maior da Força Aérea, CEMFA) - commander of the Portuguese Air Force
Spain
Sri Lanka
- Chief of the Defence Staff (Sri Lanka) - the most senior appointment in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
- Chief of Staff of the Army - deputy commander of the Sri Lankan Army
- Chief of Staff of the Navy - deputy commander of the Sri Lankan Navy
- Chief of Staff of the Air Force - deputy commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force
United Kingdom
- Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) - the professional head of the British Armed Forces.
- Chief of the Naval Staff, more commonly called the First Sea Lord
- Chief of the General Staff, formerly the Chief of the Imperial General Staff
- Chief of the Air Staff
The Sovereign is the Commander-in-Chief. The CDS heads the Chiefs of Staff Committee and is assisted by the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.
United States
- Joint Chiefs of Staff, headed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS)
- Chief of Staff of the United States Army
- An Army general (O-10) serving as the senior ranking officer within the United States Army, but subordinate to any Army O-10 serving as CJCS or Vice CJCS
- Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
- An Air Force general (O-10) serving as the senior ranking officer within the United States Air Force, but subordinate to any USAF O-10 serving as CJCS or Vice CJCS
- Chief of Staff of the United States Army
- In unified combatant commands, headed by a general (O-10) or Navy admiral (O-10)
- A major general (O-8) or Navy or Coast Guard rear admiral (O-8) overseeing the command's directorates
- In military commands headed by a lieutenant general (O-9), vice admiral (O-9), major general (O-8) or rear admiral (O-8), or brigadier general (O-7) or rear admiral, lower half (O-7)
- A colonel (O-6) or Navy or Coast Guard captain (O-6) overseeing the entire general officer's/flag officer's command staff; in some cases may also be referred to as an executive assistant or executive officer
- In some commands and organizations, two officers in pay grade O-6 may be assigned as chief of staff and executive assistant, respectively.
- A colonel (O-6) or Navy or Coast Guard captain (O-6) overseeing the entire general officer's/flag officer's command staff; in some cases may also be referred to as an executive assistant or executive officer
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