| Chief of Defence Force Staff | |
|---|---|
| Country |  South Africa |
| Allegiance |  South Africa South Africa |
The Chief of Defence Force Staff (C Def F S) was a post in the South African Defence Force and the South African National Defence Force.
| Chief of Defence Force Staff | |
|---|---|
| Country | South Africa |
| Allegiance | South Africa South Africa |
The Chief of Defence Force Staff (C Def F S) was a post in the South African Defence Force and the South African National Defence Force.
The Chief of Defence Force Staff was a lieutenant general post in the South African Defence Force which traces its origins from the sixties. In the middle sixties, the expansion of the Defence Force necessitated some changes to the overall structure and at that time, the posts of GOC Joint Combat Forces (GOC JCF), Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Defence Force Administration to name a few were established. In 1976 this post ceased to exist and was re-established in 1986 [1] during Gen Johannes Geldenhuys' term as C SADF. Its role was to coordinate all efforts of Chief of Staff Personnel , Chief of Staff Intelligence, Chief of Staff Operations, Chief of Staff Logistics, Chief of Staff Finances and Chief of Staff Planning for the Chief of the Defence Force.
The staff divisions were numbered as follows:
Note: All these divisions had a three star rank as a chief of staff.
General Johannes Jacobus (Jannie) Geldenhuys was a South African military commander who served as Chief of the South African Defence Force from 1985 to 1990.
General Andreas "Kat" Liebenberg was a South African military commander. He served as General Officer Commanding South African Special Forces (1982–85), Chief of the Army (1985–90) and Chief of the South African Defence Force (1990–93).
Vice Admiral Glen Syndercombe was a former Chief of the South African Navy.
The School of Artillery is the South African Army's specialized artillery training school
Denis John Earp was a South African military commander, who held the post of Chief of the South African Air Force.
Vice Admiral Andries Petrus Putter was a South African military commander who served as Chief of the South African Navy twice, first from 1982 to 1985 and again from 1989 to 1990. He was born in Brits in 1935.
Lieutenant General Jan van Loggerenberg was a South African military commander, who held the post of Chief of the South African Air Force.
Lieutenant General Antoine Michal Muller was a South African military commander, who held the post of Chief of the South African Air Force
The Star of South Africa, Gold, post-nominal letters SSA, is the senior decoration of two military and five non-military classes of the Order of the Star of South Africa, a South African Order which was instituted in 1975, and awarded to general and flag officers of the South African Defence Force. The Order of the Star of South Africa was discontinued in 2002.
Major General Frederich ('Fritz') Wilhelm Loots was a general in the South African Defence Force (SADF). He was founder of the South African Special Forces and their first commanding officer.
Vice Admiral Marthinus Bekker was a South African Navy officer who served as Chief of the SADF Staff.
Lieutenant General Ian Rimbault Gleeson was a South African Army officer who served as Chief of the Defence Staff.
Lieutenant-General Pierre Derksen Steyn is a retired South African Air Force officer who served as Secretary for Defence from 1994 to 1998, and as Chief of Defence Force Staff from 1990 to 1993. He is also known as the chair of the Steyn Commission, which from 1992 to 1993 investigated allegations of criminal and third force activity by the apartheid-era South African Defence Force.
Vice Admiral Paul Murray is a retired South African Navy officer who served as Chief of Staff Finance for the South African Defence Force before his retirement in 1993.
The Chief of Corporate Staff (CCS) is a lieutenant general post in the South African National Defence Force
Lieutenant General Ivan Lemmer was a former South African Army officer, who served as Chief of Staff Logistics.
Lieutenant General Raymond Francois Holtzhausen is a retired South African Army general who formerly served as Chief of Staff Personnel before his retirement.
Lieutenant General Frans van den Berg was an artillery officer who was appointed as the first Chief of Staff Planning in the SADF in 1986.
The term "Master Gunner of the Artillery" was introduced in 1982 as the overall head of the artillery. The origin of this term, and it's particular prestige, can be found if you trace the history of the Royal Artillery's Long Gunnery Staff Courses, War time Gunnery Staff Courses (LGSC) amongst others. The crossed guns were originally called Gunnery Instructors (IG)(Officers) with other ranks known as Assistant Instructors Gunnery (AIG) from 1979–1990. In 1990 the nomenclature was reversed and the head of the artillery was henceforth called the General of the Artillery. Holders of the crossed barrels in turn became known as Master Gunners. When the first ADA officer was appointed to the post of General of the Artillery, it was changed to General of the Gunners. When General Koos Laubscher was appointed to this post in 2002, he again changed it to General of the Artillery, but when General Roy Andersen was appointed in 2006, he changed it back again to General of the Gunners.