Chief of defence: Difference between revisions

[[File:Defense.gov News Photo 020311-D-2987S-018.jpg|thumb|300x300px|The CHODs of from 29 countries gathered at [[Thethe Pentagon]] on March 11, 2002. The ChiefChiefs of Defence in the picture includedinclude [[United States Air Force|U.S.US Air Force]] Gen. [[Richard Myers|Richard B. Myers]], [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]; [[French Army]] Gen. Jean-Pierre Kelche, [[Chief of the Defence Staff (France)|Chief of the Defence Staff]]; [[Royal Netherlands Navy|Dutch Navy]] Adm. [[Luuk Kroon]], [[Chief of Defence (Netherlands)|Chief of Defence]]; [[German Air Force]] Gen. [[Harald Kujat]], [[Inspector General of the Bundeswehr|Inspector General of the ''Bundeswehr'']]; [[Royal Navy|British Navy]] Adm. [[Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce|Sir Michael Boyce]], [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]].]]

TheA '''chief of defence''' (or '''head of defence''') is the highest ranked [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned officer]] of a nation's armed forces.{{Cn|date=July 2024}} The acronym CHOD is in common use within [[NATO]] and the [[European Union]] as a generic term for the highest national military position within the NATO and EU member states, rather than the actual term used for individual positions. Thus, irrespective of the formal national designation of that position is some variation on ''[[Commander-in-chief|Commander-in-Chief]]'', ''[[Chief of staff|Chief of Staff]]'', ''Supreme Commander'', or something else, they can all be referred to unambiguously as CHODs in NATO and EU terminology, although other terms are sometimes also seen within NATO. Thus, the [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]] is the CHOD of the [[United States]], the [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]] is the CHOD of the [[United Kingdom]], the [[Inspector General of the Bundeswehr|Inspector General of the ''Bundeswehr'']] is the CHOD of [[Germany]], and the [[Chief of Defence of (Norway)|Chief of Defence]] (''Forsvarssjefen'') is the CHOD of [[Norway]].

Both NATO and the EU occasionally hold CHODs meetings of the [[NATO Military Committee]] and the [[European Union Military Committee]] respectively.{{Cn|date=July 2024}}

== Chief of defence positions byin NATO countrymember countries ==

[[File:Three Chiefs of Defence in London.jpg|thumb|222x222px|Three CHODs leaving [[Lancaster House]] in London, 10 June 2011. L-R: U.S.[[United States Navy|US Navy]] Adm. [[Michael Mullen]], [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]; French Navy Adm. [[Édouard Guillaud]], [[Chief of the Defence Staff (France)|Chief of Defence Staff]]; British Gen. [[David Richards, (BritishBaron ArmyRichards of officer)Herstmonceux|Sir David Richards]], [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of Defence Staff]].]]Within [[member states of NATO]], the following national positions are the CHOD positions. Sometimes more than one form of translation into English is encountered.

! Country !! Position !! Alternative translations{{efn|This is provided when the term given on NATO's homepage is different from the one used in the Wikipedia entry for the position.}} !! Term in national language used for the position

|{{flagcountry|Belgium}} || {{center|[[File:Coats of arms of Belgium Military Forces.svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of Defence (Belgium)|Chief of Defence]]}} || Chief of the General Staff<ref>[http://www.nato.int/cv/chod/be/van-daele.htm NATO: Chief of the General Staff of Belgium], accessed on October 30, 2008</ref> || {{Lang-nl|Chef Defensie}}<br />{{Lang-fr|Chef de la Défense}}

|{{flagcountry|Canada}} || {{center|[[File:Flag of the Canadian Forces.svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)|Chief of the Defence Staff]]}} || || {{Lang-fr|Chef d'étatÉtat-majorMajor de la défense}}

|{{flagcountry|FranceFinland}} || {{center|[[File:MarqueFlag CEMAof the commander of the Finnish Defence Forces.svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of the Defence Staff (FranceFinland)|Chief of the Defence Staff]]}} || || {{Lang-frfi|ChefPuolustusvoimain d'étatkomentaja}}<br />{{Lang-majorsv|Kommendören desför arméesFörsvarsmakten}}

|{{flagcountry|Iceland}} ||{{center|Director of the Security and Defence Department<ref>[httphttps://www.nato.int/cvcps/choden/icnatohq/ibsenwho_is_who_208009.htm NATO: Director General of the DefenceDirectorate Department andfor Chief of Defence of IcelandDegfence], accessed on OctoberDecember 3015, 20082022</ref><ref>Iceland presents a special case since the country does not have its own armed forces as such. Thus, a civilian at the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs fulfills the role of CHOD in relation to NATO.</ref>}} || || {{Lang-is|Deildarstjóri öryggis- og varnarmálaskrifstofu}}

|{{flagcountry|Latvia}} || {{center|[[File:Coat of Arms of Latvian National Armed Forces.svg|50px]]<br />[[Commander of the Joint Headquarters (Latvia)|Commander of the National Armed Forces]]<ref>[http://www.nato.int/cv/chod/lat/maklakovs.htm NATO: Commander of the Latvian National Armed Forces], accessed on October 30, 2008</ref>}} || || {{Lang-lv|Bruņoto spēku komandieris}}

|{{flagcountry|Luxembourg}} || {{center|[[File:ArméiEmblem oofzeechenof the Army of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg.svgpng|50px]]<br />[[Chief of Defence (Luxembourg)|Chief of Staff]]<ref>[http://www.nato.int/cv/chod/lu/reinig-e.htm NATO: Chief of Staff of the Luxembourg Army], accessed on October 30, 2008</ref>}} || Chief of Defence || {{Lang-fr|Chef d'état-major}} <br /> {{lang-de|Chef des Generalstabs}}

|{{flagcountry|Montenegro}} || {{center|[[File:Military of Montenegro.gif|50px]]<br />[[Chief of the General Staff (Montenegro)|Chief of the General Staff]]}} || || [[Montenegrin language|Montenegrin:]] ''Начелник Генералштаба'' / ''Načelnik Generalštaba''

|{{flagcountry|Portugal}} || {{center|[[File:Military flag of Portugal.svg|50px]]<br />[[Armed Forces General Staff (Portugal)#The Chief of the General Staff|Chief of the General Staff]]<ref>[http://www.nato.int/cv/chod/po/pinto.htm NATO: Chief of Defence of Portugal], accessed on October 30, 2008</ref>}} || || {{Lang-pt|Chefe do Estado-Maior-General das Forças Armadas}}

|{{flagcountry|Romania}} || {{center|[[File:Flag of the Romanian General Staff (Obverse).svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of the Romanian General Staff|Chief of Defence]]<ref>[http://www.nato.int/cv/chod/ro/marin.htm NATO: Chief of Defence of Romania], accessed on October 30, 2008</ref>}} || Chief of the General Staff || {{Lang-ro|ŞefulȘeful Statului Major General}}

In 2018 [[Slovenia]] appointed the first womanfemale [[Major general|Major General]] [[Alenka Ermenc]] to hold such a position in the history of [[NATO]] and Slovenia.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46366561|title=Nato state appoints first female head of armed forces|date=27 November 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=28 November 2018}}</ref><ref name="VOA">{{cite web |agency=Reuters |title=Slovenia Appoints First Female Army Chief |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/slovenia-appoints-first-female-army-chief-/4677026.html |website=VOA news |access-date=28 November 2018 |date=27 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sentinelassam.com/news/slovenia-appoints-first-female-head-of-armed-forces/ |title=Slovenia Appoints First Female Head of Armed Forces |date=29 November 2018 |publisher=Sentinelassam.com |access-date=2018-11-29}}</ref>

|{{flagcountry|Austria}} || {{center|[[File:Stander General Austria.svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of the General Staff (Austria)|Chief of the General Staff]]}} || || {{Lang-de|Chef des Generalstabes}}

|{{flagcountry|FinlandIreland}} || {{center|[[File:FlagBadge of the commander of the FinnishIrish Defence Forces.svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces (FinlandIreland)|Chief of DefenceStaff]]}} || || {{Lang-figa|PuolustusvoimainCeann komentaja}}<brFoirne />{{Lang-sv|Kommendörenna förbhFórsaí FörsvarsmaktenCosanta}}

Note that in many countries outside of NATO and EU, the concept of [[civilian control of the military]] is inapplicable. In some countries the [[Ministry of defence|minister of defence]] is often a senior military officer. However, the list below only lists CHOD equivalents and ''not'' defense ministers.

|{{flagcountry|BelarusAzerbaijan}} || {{center|[[File:Флаг Генерального штаба Вооруженных Сил Республики Беларусь.png|50px]]<br />[[General Staff of theAzerbaijani Armed Forces of Belarus|Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus]]}} || || {{Lang-beaz|ГенеральныSilahlı штабQüvvələri УзброеныхBaş СілQərargah Рэспублікі Беларусьrəisi}}

|{{flagcountry|Brazil}} || {{center|[[File:EmcfaBandeira-Insignia do Chefe do Estado-Maior Conjunto das Forças Armadas (Brasil).gifsvg|50px]]<br />[[Joint Staff of the Armed Forces|Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces]]}} || || {{Lang-pt|Chefe do Estado Maior Conjunto das Forças Armadas}}

|{{flagcountry|China}} || {{center|[[File:PLA Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission patch.svg|50px]]<br />[[Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission|Joint Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission]]}} || Chief of General Staff<br />Commanding General of the People's Liberation Army General Staff Department || {{zh|中央军事委员会联合参谋部参谋长}}

|{{flagcountry|Colombia}} || {{center|[[File:Escudo Fuerzas Militares de Colombia.svg|50px]]<br />[[General Commander of the Military Forces (Colombia)|General Commander of the Military Forces]]}} || || {{lang-es|Comandante General de las Fuerzas Militares de Colombia}}

|{{flagcountry|Ecuador}} || {{center|[[Joint Command of the Armed Forces (Ecuador)|Chief of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces of Ecuador]]}} || || {{lang-es|Jefe del Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas del Ecuador}}

|{{flagcountry|Ethiopia}} || {{center|[[Chief of General Staff (Ethiopia)|Chief of General Staff]]}} || || {{lang-am|ጦር ኃይሎች ጠቅላይ ሹም}}

|{{flagcountry|Georgia}} || {{center|[[File:Georgia. Standard of Chief of General Staff.svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of General Staff (Georgia)|Chief of General Staff]]}} || || {{lang-ka|საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის უფროსი}}

|{{flagcountry|India}} || {{center|[[File:Flag of_Chief of_Defence Staff (India).svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of Defence Staff (India)|Chief of Defence Staff]]}} || || {{lang-hi|रक्षा प्रमुख}}

|{{flagcountry|Iran}} || {{center|[[File:Flag_of_the_General_Staff_of_the_Armed_Forces_of_the_Islamic_Republic_of_Iran.svg|50px]]<br />[[General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran|Chief of General Staff]]}} || || {{Lang-fa|رئیس ستاد کل نیروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ایران}}

|{{flagcountry|Nepal}} || {{center|[[File:Flag of the Chief of Army Staff of Nepali Army.svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of Army Staff (Nepal)|Chief of Army Staff]]}} || || {{Lang-ne|नेपालका प्रधानसेनापति}}

|{{flagcountry|North KoreaPakistan}} || {{center|[[General Staff DepartmentFile:Flag of the KoreanChairman People'sJoint Army|ChiefChiefs of theStaff GeneralCommittee.svg|50px]]<br Staff/>[[Chairman ofJoint theChiefs Koreanof People'sStaff ArmyCommittee]]}} || || {{Langlang-kour|조선인민군صدرنشین مجلسِ مشترکہَ رؤسائے افواجِ 총참모장پاکستان}}

|{{flagcountry|Peru}} || {{center|[[File:Rank flag for the Chief of the Joint Command (Peru).svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of the Joint Command (Peru)|Head of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces of Peru]]}} || || {{lang-es|Jefe del Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas del Perú}}

|{{flagcountry|Philippines}} || {{center|[[File:Flag of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (Philippines).svg|50px]]<br />[[ChairmanChief of Staff of the JointArmed ChiefsForces of the (Philippines)|ChairmanChief of Staff of the JointArmed ChiefsForces]]}} || || {{lang-tl|Hepe ng Sandatahang Lakas}}

|{{flagcountry|Singapore}} || {{center|[[Chief of Defence Force (Singapore)|Chief of Defence Force]]}} || || {{lang-zh|三军总长}}

|{{flagcountry|Somalia}} || {{center|[[File:The Somali National Army Logo.pngsvg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of Defence Force (Somalia)|Chief of Armed Forces]]}} || || {{lang-so|Taliyaha Xooga Qalabka Soomaaliyeed}}

|{{flagcountry|South Africa}} || {{center|[[File:Flag of the South African National Defence Force.svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of the South African National Defence Force|Chief of the National Defence Force]]}} || ||

|{{flagcountry|Switzerland}} || {{center|[[File:Flag of a Swiss Armed Forces general and Chief of the Armed Forces.svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of the Armed Forces (Switzerland)|Chief of the Armed Forces]]}} || || {{lang-fr|Chef de l'Armée}}<br />{{lang-de|Chef der Armee}}<br />{{lang-it|Capo dell'Esercito}}<br />{{lang-rm|Schef da l'Armada}}

|{{flagcountry|Taiwan}} || {{center|[[File:ROC Ministry of National Defense Flag.svg|50px]]<br />[[Chief of the General Staff (Republic of China)|Chief of the General Staff]]}} || ||{{zh|國防部參謀本部參謀總長}}

|{{flagcountry|Ukraine}} || {{center|[[File:НнStandard ГШof ЗСУUkrainian Chief of the General Staff rect.pngsvg|50px]]<br />[[Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine]]}} || || {{lang-uk|Головнокомандувач Збройних сил України}}

|{{flagcountry|Vietnam}} || {{center|[[File:Vietnam People's Army General Staff insignia.jpg|50px]]<br />[[General Staff (Vietnam People's Army)|Chief of the Staff]]}} || Chief of the General Staff of the People's Army of Vietnam || {{lang-vi|Tổng Tham mưu trưởng Quân đội Nhân dân Việt Nam}}