Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee

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]

Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee
Coat of arms
Incumbent
Lieutenant General Lance Landrum, USAF
since October 11, 2021
 NATO
AbbreviationDCMC
Member ofNATO Military Committee
Reports toChair of the NATO Military Committee, Deputy Secretary General of NATO
Formation1967
First holderLt Gen T. R. Milton [1]
WebsiteNATO

The current Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee is U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Lance K. Landrum. He is the 23rd Deputy Chair and took office on October 11, 2021.

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. Picture Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military CommitteeTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branchRef.
1
T. R. Milton
Milton, T. R.Lieutenant General
T. R. Milton
(1915–2010)
March 1969August 19712 years, 5 months
United States Air Force
[12]
2
Edward Rowny
Rowny, EdwardLieutenant General
Edward Rowny
(1917–2017)
August 1971March 19731 year, 7 months
United States Army
.
3
Charles S. Minter
Minter, C. S.Vice Admiral
Charles S. Minter
(1915–2008)
March 1973August 19741 year, 5 months
United States Navy
.
4
Richard F. Schaefer
Schaefer, RichardLieutenant General
Richard F. Schaefer
(born 1919)
August 1974June 197510 months
United States Air Force
[13]
5
Martin G. Colladay
Colladay, MartinLieutenant General
Martin G. Colladay
(1925–2003)
June 1975August 19772 years, 2 months
United States Air Force
[14]
6
George G. Cantlay
Cantlay, GeorgeLieutenant General
George G. Cantlay
(1938–1999)
August 1977August 19792 years
United States Army
[15]
7
Lincoln D. Faurer
Faurer, LincolnLieutenant General
Lincoln D. Faurer
(1928–2014)
August 1979March 19811 year, 7 months
United States Air Force
.
8
Sinclair L. Melner
Melner, S.Lieutenant General
Sinclair L. Melner
June 1981June 19843 years, 3 months
United States Army
.
9
Paul S. Williams Jr.
Williams, P.Lieutenant General
Paul S. Williams Jr.
June 1984May 19861 year, 11 months
United States Army
.
10
Jonathan T. Howe
Howe, J.Vice Admiral
Jonathan T. Howe
June 1986June 19871 year
United States Navy
.
11
Robert D. Beckel
Beckel, RobertLieutenant General
Robert D. Beckel
(born 1937)
June 1987January 19902 years, 7 months
United States Air Force
[16]
12
Charles P. Otstott
Otstott, CharlesLieutenant General
Charles P. Otstott
(born 1937)
February 1990June 19922 years, 5 months
United States Army
.
13
Norman W. Ray
Ray, N. W.Vice Admiral
Norman W. Ray
June 1992November 19953 years, 5 months
United States Navy
.
14
Nicholas Kehoe
Kehoe, NicholasLieutenant General
Nicholas Kehoe
(born 1943)
November 1995September 19982 years, 10 months
United States Air Force
.
15
Michael J. Byron
Byron, MichaelLieutenant General
Michael J. Byron
(born 1941)
September 1998April 20012 years, 7 months
United States Marine Corps
[17]
16
Malcolm I. Fages
Fages, MalcolmVice Admiral
Malcolm I. Fages
May 2001April 20043 years
United States Navy
[18]
17
Thomas L. Baptiste
Baptiste, ThomasLieutenant General
Thomas L. Baptiste
April 2004April 20073 years
United States Air Force
[19]
18
Karl W. Eikenberry
Eikenberry, KarlLieutenant General
Karl W. Eikenberry
(born 1951)
April 2007May 20092 years, 1 month
United States Army
.
19
Walter E. Gaskin
Gaskin, WalterLieutenant General
Walter E. Gaskin
May 2009August 20134 years, 3 months
United States Marine Corps
.
20
Mark O. Schissler
Schissler, MarkLieutenant General
Mark O. Schissler
August 2013November 20163 years, 3 months
United States Air Force
[20]
21
Steven M. Shepro
Shepro, StevenLieutenant General
Steven M. Shepro
November 4, 2016September 18, 20192 years, 10 months
United States Air Force
[21]
22
Scott Kindsvater
Kindsvater, ScottLieutenant General
Scott Kindsvater
September 18, 2019October 1, 20212 years
United States Air Force
[22]
23
Lance Landrum
Landrum, LanceLieutenant General
Lance Landrum
(born c.1970)
October 11, 2021Incumbent2 years
United States Air Force
[23]

See also

References

  1. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/who_is_who_139939.htm, NATO, Jan 10, 2017, retrieved Feb 15, 2018.
  2. "by Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, Chair of the NATO Military Committee following the Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence session". NATO. May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  3. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/who_is_who_62218.htm, NATO Deputy Secretary General, Feb 14, 2012, retrieved Feb 15, 2018.
  4. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_69471.htm, Deputy Chairman of the Military Committee (DCMC), Jan 19, 2016, retrieved Feb 15, 2018.
  5. https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/pdf_publications/20170213_2016-nato-encyclopedia-eng.pdf, NATO Encyclopedia, 2016, p. 338, retrieved Feb 15, 2018.
  6. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49152.htm,NATO: Chairman of the Military Committee, Dec 7, 2017, retrieved Feb 15, 2018
  7. NATO (January 19, 2016). "Deputy Chairman of the Military Committee (DCMC)". NATO. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  8. Douglas S. Bland, 'The Military Committee of the North Atlantic Alliance: A Study of Structure and Strategy,' New York, Praeger, 1991, p. 182.
  9. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_64557.htm?, NATO International Military Staff, Jun 15, 2017, retrieved Feb 15, 2018.
  10. Douglas S. Bland, 'The Military Committee of the North Atlantic Alliance: A Study of Structure and Strategy,' New York, Praeger, 1991, p. 181.
  11. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_69471.htm, NATO, Jan 10, 2016, retrieved Feb 15, 2018.
  12. http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/106228/general-tr-milton/, General T. R. Milton Biography, retrieved Feb 15, 2018.
  13. http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105652/lieutenant-general-richard-f-shaefer/,US Air Force, retrieved Feb 15, 2018
  14. http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/107427/lieutenant-general-martin-g-colladay/,US Air Force Biographies, retrieved Feb 15, 2018
  15. http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/13573/,US Military Academy Association of Graduates,Cullum No. 13573, retrieved Feb 15, 2018
  16. http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/107761/lieutenant-general-robert-d-beckel/,US Air Force Biographies, retrieved Feb 15, 2018
  17. https://www.nato.int/cv/milrep/us/byron-e.htm,NATO,Nov 16, 1999, retrieved Feb 15, 2018
  18. https://www.nato.int/cv/dmilcom/fages.htm,NATO, Sep 12, 2002, retrieved Feb 15, 2018
  19. http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/107764/lieutenant-general-thomas-l-baptiste/,US Air Force Biographies, retrieved Feb 15, 2018
  20. p://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/107994/lieutenant-general-mark-o-schissler/,US Air Force Biographies, retrieved Feb 15, 2018
  21. http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/108594/brigadier-general-steven-m-shepro/,US Air Force Biographies, retrieved Feb 15, 2018
  22. "Lieutenant General Scott A. Kindsvater, Deputy Chairman, NATO Military Committee". www.nato.int. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  23. Admiral Rob Bauer [@CMC_NATO] (October 11, 2021). "Today we welcomed 🇺🇸 LtGen Lance Landrum to our table as the new Deputy Chair of the #NATOMC" (Tweet). Retrieved October 14, 2021 via Twitter.

Further reading

  • Douglas S. Bland, 'The Military Committee of the North Atlantic Alliance: A Study of Structure and Strategy,' New York, Praeger, 1991.
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