10 U.S.C. § 155: Joint Staff

There is a Joint Staff under the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Joint Staff assists the Chairman and, subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Chairman, the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in carrying out their responsibilities. the Army; the Navy and the Marine Corps; and the Air Force and the Space Force. Selection of officers of an armed force to serve on the Joint Staff shall be made by the Chairman from a list of officers submitted by the Secretary of the military department having jurisdiction over that armed force. Each officer whose name is submitted shall be among those officers considered to be the most outstanding officers of that armed force. The Chairman may specify the number of officers to be included on any such list. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after consultation with the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and with the approval of the Secretary of Defense, may select an officer to serve as Director of the Joint Staff. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff manages the Joint Staff and the Director of the Joint Staff. The Joint Staff shall perform such duties as the Chairman prescribes and shall perform such duties under such procedures as the Chairman prescribes. for the unified strategic direction of the combatant forces; for their operation under unified command; and for their integration into an efficient team of land, naval, and air forces. The Joint Staff shall not operate or be organized as an overall Armed Forces General Staff and shall have no executive authority. The Joint Staff may be organized and may operate along conventional staff lines. An officer who is assigned or detailed to permanent duty on the Joint Staff may not serve for a tour of duty of more than four years. However, such a tour of duty may be extended with the approval of the Secretary of Defense. In accordance with procedures established by the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may suspend from duty and recommend the reassignment of any officer assigned to the Joint Staff. Upon receipt of such a recommendation, the Secretary concerned shall promptly reassign the officer. An officer completing a tour of duty with the Joint Staff may not be assigned or detailed to permanent duty on the Joint Staff within two years after relief from that duty except with the approval of the Secretary. in time of war; or during a national emergency declared by the President or Congress. The Joint Staff is composed of all members of the armed forces and civilian employees assigned or detailed to permanent duty in the executive part of the Department of Defense to perform the functions and duties prescribed under subsections (a) and (c). The Joint Staff does not include members of the armed forces or civilian employees assigned or detailed to permanent duty in a military department. The total number of members of the armed forces and civilian employees assigned or detailed to permanent duty for the Joint Staff may not exceed 2,250. Not more than 1,500 members of the armed forces on the active-duty list may be assigned or detailed to permanent duty for the Joint Staff. The limitations in paragraphs (1) and (2) do not apply in time of war. Each limitation in paragraphs (1) and (2) may be exceeded by a number equal to 15 percent of such limitation in time of national emergency. undertake the roles, missions, and responsibilities of, and preserve an equal or greater number of personnel billets than the amount of such billets previously prescribed for, the Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance of the United States Strategic Command; and that is designated as the Joint Staff Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Directorate and Supporting Chairman’s Controlled Activity; for which the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall serve as the joint functional manager; and that shall synchronize cross-combatant command intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance plans and develop strategies integrating all intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities provided by joint services, the National Reconnaissance Office, combat support intelligence agencies of the Department of Defense, and allies, to satisfy the intelligence needs of the combatant commands for the Department of Defense. The Secretary of Defense shall designate the Secretary of the Air Force as the lead agent and sponsor for funding for the organization established under subsection (a)(2). enable the standardized, objective evaluation and analysis of that data with respect to the use and effectiveness of the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities provided to the commanders; and support recommendations made by the organization established under subsection (a)(2) to the Secretary of Defense regarding the allocation of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance resources of the Department of Defense.” Expenses of the Armed Forces in connection with such exercises, including expense relating to self-deploying watercraft under the jurisdiction of a military department. Expenses relating to the costs of port support activities in connection with such exercises, including transportation and port handling. Expenses relating to the breakout and operation of prepositioned watercraft and lighterage for joint logistics and over the shore exercises in connection with such exercises. Any amounts made available by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under subsection (a) for expenses covered by that subsection are in addition to any other amounts available under law for such expenses.”