Posted on Dec 3, 2017
Will Boyd
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LTC Stephen F.
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Edited >1 y ago
Will Boyd when I was assigned to agencies in the Pentagon I saw Army Captain through Full General working on JCS for certain and there may be 1LT [Ensigns] there as well.
The JCS staff of J-1 through J-9 has most ranks represented across its depth and breadth.
I worked with Captain through Colonel, Naval LT through Captain when I worked on tasks with JCS [1998-2009] while I was assigned to the Army Staff and afterwards.
I saw E-4 to E-9 there as well.
Seeing a 2LT or a PVT in the Pentagon attracted more attention than seeing a General because the cost of living is so high in DC and the requirements don't have authorizations for 2LTs or PVTs.
Thanks for mentioning me SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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COL Keith Chinn
COL Keith Chinn
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I think the other reason you would not see a 2LT there is because they should be in the field as a platoon leader/commander leading to lead soldiers. Being on staff would be a disservice their future careers.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
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COL Keith Chinn - FYI, I was referring to the Pentagon primarily not the JCS when I mentioned how rare it was to see a 2LT or PVT walking either in the courtyard or or the corridors or rings of the Pentagon. FYI in the early 21st century, I noticed flag officers turning around to see a 2LT walking on the inner ring by the courtyard.
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COL Keith Chinn
COL Keith Chinn
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They still do. We used to joke that seeing a 2LT running around was like seeing an unicorn. In my 3 yrs I saw one once, it was an USAF 2LT.
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LTC Stephen B.
LTC Stephen B.
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I read the question a bit different - to be a part of "the Joint Chiefs of Staff" one has to be a 4-Star General or Admiral: as a (4-Star) Service Chief, the Vice Chairman (4-Star) or Chairman (4-Star).

To be assigned to the Joint Staff, well, that's a different story altogether, which is what you seem to attempt to answer, although I don't know of a Service or Joint Regulation that provides a minimum rank and I don't have access anymore to manning documents to see what grades are authorized.
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LTC Eric Udouj
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All the replies answered the question - but thought would provide a "little more" in the details. The Joint Staff is not all at the Pentagon.. which after the rolling up of JFCOM into the Joint Staff brought along several different staff pieces and positions that Joint Forces Command had previously been the lead on. So you now have part of the JS J3 in Norfolk, and JS J7 in Suffolk. Some folks getting assigned to the JS with orders to Norfolk or Suffolk are usually surprised that they are not going to the Pentagon. Far better to be in Hampton Roads as a Joint Officer..
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COL Keith Chinn
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The Joint Chiefs themselves or to serve on the Joint Staff?
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Will Boyd
Will Boyd
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To serve
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COL Keith Chinn
COL Keith Chinn
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I have seen CPTs and LTs as general aides, MAJs through LTCs as Staff officers/Branch Chiefs and COLs as Division Chiefs. so essentially all ranks of officers except 2LTs.
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