Chief of the Defence Staff (Tanaau)
| Chief of the Defence Staff | |
|---|---|
Incumbent Vacant | |
| Ministry of Defence | |
| Abbreviation | CDS |
| Member of | Chiefs of Staff Committee |
| Nominator | Prime Minister |
| Appointer | Monarch |
| Term length | At His Majesty's Pleasure |
| Formation | 17 December 2023 |
| Unofficial names | Chief of Defence |
| Deputy | Vice Chief of Defence |
The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), unofficially known as the Chief of Defence, is the professional head of the Armed Forces of Tanaau and the most senior uniformed military advisor to the Prime Minister of Tanaau and the Secretary of State for Defence. The CDS is based at the Ministry of Defence and works alongside the ministry's most senior civil servants as well as the defence secretary. The Chief of the Defence Staff is the highest ranking officer to currently serve in the armed forces and they lead the Chiefs of Staff Committee.
The office is currently vacant.
Responsibilities
The Chief of the Defence Staff's remit includes:
- Leading Defence
- Setting Strategy for Defence
- Future Planning for the Armed Forces
- Conduct of Current Operations
- Leading Relations with Foreign Armed Forces
Supporting Posts
The CDS is supported by a deputy - the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, who is usually of an equivalent rank but of a different branch to the incumbent CDS.
The CDS maintains a close working relationship with the defence secretary and the Ministry of Defence's senior civil servants. The CDS focuses on military operations and strategy while the civil servants focus on administration and financial matters.
History
The role of Chief of the Defence Staff was established on 17 November 2023, with the establishment of the Tanaauan military.
Appointment
In their capacity as commander-in-chief, the monarch appoints the Chief of Defence who serves at the monarch's pleasure. However, the appointee has usually undergone a nomination process before candidates are presented to the monarch.
The nomination process consists of the secretary of state for defence shortlisting the officers best suited for appointment to the role, the prime minister then selects their candidate from that list for nomination to the monarch.