Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee

Last updated

Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee
Coat of arms of the Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.svg
Coat of arms
Lt. Gen. Andrew M. Rohling (2).jpg
since February 12, 2024
Flag of NATO.svg  NATO
AbbreviationDCMC
Member of NATO Military Committee
Reports to Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Deputy Secretary General of NATO
Formation1967
First holderLt Gen T. R. Milton [1]
Website NATO

The Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee (DCMC) is the deputy head of the NATO Military Committee. Originally titled as the Deputy Chairman, the post was redesignated in 2021 to reflect the gender-neutrality of the post. [2]

Contents

The current Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee is U.S. Army Lieutenant General Andrew Rohling. He is the 24th Deputy Chair and took office on February 12, 2024.

Role

The DCMC assists the Chair, advises the Deputy Secretary General [3] and serves as the principal agent for coordination of nuclear, biological, and chemical matters for the Military Committee. [4] Finally, in the Chair's absence, the Deputy Chair directs the daily operations and business of the Military Committee, NATO's highest military authority. [5] [6]

The Deputy Chair, always a US general or flag officer, provides a particular and ideal vantage point to serve the Alliance's Transatlantic bond. [7] Having unique and relevant access to U.S. nuclear information coupled with an intimate relationship with NATO's other member states offers distinctive opportunities to provide best military advice, especially pertaining to nuclear matters. [8] While being a U.S. officer, the individual serves in an international capacity to represent the interests of the Alliance.

History

A Chairman position was initially established without a Deputy, but as the command structure evolved and the demands on the Chairman increased, the need for a Deputy became obvious.

The Deputy's origins come from within the structure of the International Military Staff [9] (IMS) as the 1963 Military Committee reforms provided the Director of the IMS a vice-director who held "special responsibilities for nuclear matters." [10] This office was always an American to link the United States and NATO in nuclear strategy. [10] Two dynamics served as the catalyst to establish the Deputy Chairman position on the Military Committee as it reflects today: 1. When the Chairman was away from Brussels, using a Military Representative within the Military Committee as a substitute proved unviable due to the conflict of simultaneously representing the interests of the Military Committee at large and one's own national interests and 2. the Military Committee did not want to create additional high-ranking officer positions to resolve the first issue. As a solution, the Military Committee elected to eliminate the Vice Director of the IMS position and simultaneously establish a new post of Deputy Chairman of the Military Committee. The Deputy position would still maintain the special responsibility for nuclear matters and remain a U.S. officer as established for the Vice-Director position. The NAC approved the proposal on January 6, 1967, to formally establish the position of Deputy Chairman of the Military Committee. [8]

List

Since the establishment of the Deputy Chairman position in 1967, there have been 9 from the Air Force, 5 from the Army, 4 from the Navy, and 2 from the Marine Corps. The deputy chairs have been: [11]

No.PictureDeputy Chairman of the NATO Military CommitteeTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branchRef.
1
TheodoreRMilton.jpg
Milton, T. R.Lieutenant General
T. R. Milton
(1915–2010)
March 1969August 19712 years, 5 months U.S. Air Force service mark.svg
United States Air Force
[12]
2
Edward Rowny.jpg
Rowny, EdwardLieutenant General
Edward Rowny
(1917–2017)
August 1971March 19731 year, 7 months Military service mark of the United States Army.svg
United States Army
.
3
VADM Minter, Charles Stamps Jr.jpg
Minter, C. S.Vice Admiral
Charles S. Minter
(1915–2008)
March 1973August 19741 year, 5 months Emblem of the United States Navy.svg
United States Navy
.
4
Lt Gen Richard Schaefer.jpg
Schaefer, RichardLieutenant General
Richard F. Schaefer
(born 1919)
August 1974June 197510 months U.S. Air Force service mark.svg
United States Air Force
[13]
5
Lt Gen Martin Colladay.jpg
Colladay, MartinLieutenant General
Martin G. Colladay
(1925–2003)
June 1975August 19772 years, 2 months U.S. Air Force service mark.svg
United States Air Force
[14]
6
Cantlay, George.jpg
Cantlay, GeorgeLieutenant General
George G. Cantlay
(1938–1999)
August 1977August 19792 years Military service mark of the United States Army.svg
United States Army
[15]
7
Lincoln Faurer - NSA.jpg
Faurer, LincolnLieutenant General
Lincoln D. Faurer
(1928–2014)
August 1979March 19811 year, 7 months U.S. Air Force service mark.svg
United States Air Force
.
8
Lt Gen Sinclair Melner.jpg
Melner, S.Lieutenant General
Sinclair L. Melner
June 1981June 19843 years, 3 months Military service mark of the United States Army.svg
United States Army
.
9
PSWilliams-DA-SC-87-10846.jpeg
Williams, P.Lieutenant General
Paul S. Williams Jr.
June 1984May 19861 year, 11 months Military service mark of the United States Army.svg
United States Army
.
10
VADM J T Howe.jpg
Howe, J.Vice Admiral
Jonathan T. Howe
June 1986June 19871 year Emblem of the United States Navy.svg
United States Navy
.
11
Lt Gen Robert D. Beckel.jpg
Beckel, RobertLieutenant General
Robert D. Beckel
(born 1937)
June 1987January 19902 years, 7 months U.S. Air Force service mark.svg
United States Air Force
[16]
12
Lt Gen Charles Otstott.jpg
Otstott, CharlesLieutenant General
Charles P. Otstott
(born 1937)
February 1990June 19922 years, 5 months Military service mark of the United States Army.svg
United States Army
.
13
VADM N W Ray.jpg
Ray, N. W.Vice Admiral
Norman W. Ray
June 1992November 19953 years, 5 months Emblem of the United States Navy.svg
United States Navy
.
14
Nicholas Kehoe USAF.jpg
Kehoe, NicholasLieutenant General
Nicholas Kehoe
(born 1943)
November 1995September 19982 years, 10 months U.S. Air Force service mark.svg
United States Air Force
.
15
Lt Gen Michael Byron.jpg
Byron, MichaelLieutenant General
Michael J. Byron
(born 1941)
September 1998April 20012 years, 7 months Emblem of the United States Marine Corps.svg
United States Marine Corps
[17]
16
VADM Malcolm Fages.jpg
Fages, MalcolmVice Admiral
Malcolm I. Fages
May 2001April 20043 years Emblem of the United States Navy.svg
United States Navy
[18]
17
Lt Gen Thomas Baptiste.jpg
Baptiste, ThomasLieutenant General
Thomas L. Baptiste
April 2004April 20073 years U.S. Air Force service mark.svg
United States Air Force
[19]
18
Lt Gen Karl Eikenberry.jpg
Eikenberry, KarlLieutenant General
Karl W. Eikenberry
(born 1951)
April 2007May 20092 years, 1 month Military service mark of the United States Army.svg
United States Army
.
19
LtGen Walter E. Gaskin (2).jpg
Gaskin, WalterLieutenant General
Walter E. Gaskin
May 2009August 20134 years, 3 months Emblem of the United States Marine Corps.svg
United States Marine Corps
.
20
LIEUTENANT GENERAL MARK O. SCHISSLER USAF.JPG
Schissler, MarkLieutenant General
Mark O. Schissler
August 2013November 20163 years, 3 months U.S. Air Force service mark.svg
United States Air Force
[20]
21
Steven M. Shepro (4).jpg
Shepro, StevenLieutenant General
Steven M. Shepro
November 4, 2016September 18, 20192 years, 10 months U.S. Air Force service mark.svg
United States Air Force
[21]
22
Lt. Gen. Scott A. Kindsvater.jpg
Kindsvater, ScottLieutenant General
Scott Kindsvater
September 18, 2019October 1, 20212 years U.S. Air Force service mark.svg
United States Air Force
[22]
23
Lt Gen Lance K. Landrum.jpg
Landrum, LanceLieutenant General
Lance Landrum
(born c.1970)
October 11, 2021September 21, 20231 year, 11 months U.S. Air Force service mark.svg
United States Air Force
[23]
24
Lt. Gen. Andrew M. Rohling (2).jpg
Rohling, AndrewLieutenant General
Andrew Rohling
(born c.1967)
February 12, 2024Incumbent9 months Military service mark of the United States Army.svg
United States Army
[24]

See also

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Further reading