Chief of the Defence Staff (Spain)

Chief of the Defence Staff
100px Chief of the Defence Staff
Website	(Spanish) Website of the spanish Ministry of Defence

The Chief of the Defence Staff (Spanish: Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa, JEMAD) is the chief of defence equivalent of the Spanish Armed Forces. The position is currently held by Admiral Fernando García Sánchez.

History

The position was introduced by the first government of Felipe Gonzalez in 1984 and replaced the position of Chief of Joint Chiefs of Staff (JUJEM) which replaced the Chief of the defence high command (jefe del Alto Estado Mayor) in 1979.

The last officer to occupy the post of Chief of Defence high command was Lieutenant General Felipe Galarza. (from July to September 1977.

The last Officer to occupy the position of Chief of Joint Chiefs of Staff was Lieutenant General Alvaro Lacalle Leloup from 1982 to 1984.

The AEM was replaced by the JUJEM in May 1980 before the creation of the position of JEMAD in early 1984 which took over many of the functions previously under the responsibility of the JUJEM.

Functions

The Chief of the Defence has two roles:

• Conduct strategic military operations under the authority of the Minister of Defence and the President of the Government.
• Prepare and propose the integrated strategic plan
• Establish operating structures of the Armed Forces.
• Assign missions
• Coordination with Military Chiefs of other allied countries and international organizations in joint missions
• Communicate general instructions to the Army, Navy and Air Force Chiefs of Staff
• Manage the joint command and control, intelligence, telecommunications and electronic warfare

List of holders of position

• Admiral Ángel Liberal Lucini (from 1984 to 1986 )
• General of the Air Force Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá, (from 1986 to 1990 )
• Admiral Gonzalo Rodríguez Martín-Granizo (from 1990 to 1992 )
• Lieutenant General José Rodrigo Rodrigo (from 1992 to 1996 )
• Lieutenant General Santiago Valderas Cañestro (from 1996 to 2000 )
• General Admiral Antonio Moreno Barberá (from 2000 to 2004 )
• General Félix Sanz Roldán (from 2004 to 2008 )
• Lieutenant General José Julio Rodríguez Fernández (from 2008 to 2011 )
• General Admiral Fernando García Sánchez (from 2011 to present )

See also

• Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the US equivalent
• Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom), UK equivalent
• Chief of the Defence Staff (France)
• Chief of the Military Staff of the President of the Republic
• Head of the Prime Minister's military cabinet
• Head of the Minister of Defence's military cabinet