Chief of the Defence Staff (Spain)

The Chief of the Defence Staff has not a Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff, and when its unable to fulfill his functions, it is replaced by the most senior Chief of Staff of the Army, Navy or Air Force.

The JEMAD is assisted by the Joint Defence Staff, the main auxiliary body of the Defence Staff directed by the Chief of the Joint Defence Staff, which at the same times is assisted by the Secretary-General of the Joint Defence Staff. The JEMAD it is also assisted by a personal secretary and by the Chief of Economic Affairs, the Chief of Human Resources and the Chief of Security and Services.

In matters of military strategy is advised by the Commander of the Operations Command and in cyberdefence by the Chief Commander of the Joint Cyberspace Command. Directly from the JEMAD depends the Armed Forces Intelligence Center in charge of recollecting military information and advise the JEMAD, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Staff of the Navy and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force in counter-intelligence and security.

Other bodies that also depend from the JEMAD are the Military Emergencies Unit, the Command of Maritime Security and Surveillance and the Command of Defence and Air Operations.

The creation of the first Military Staff in Spain dates back to 1801 when on the occasion of the War of Spain and France against Portugal, an army was created under the command of Godoy, which included a special structure called the General Staff, also called the General Staff of the Armies in Operations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.defensa.gob.es/ceseden/en/esfas/quienes_somos/historia/index.html?__locale=en|title=ESFAS History|website=Ministry of Defence|access-date=30 September 2018}}

On June 9, 1810 is constituted for the first time in Spain the Body of General Staff, separated completely from the other Armies branches, following their top officials different military careers. General Blake was its first Chief. Once the War of Independence was over, by Royal Order of June 27, 1814, Ferdinand VII suppressed the General Staff Body. In 1820 it was created for the second time, but its existence was short, and in 1823 it disappeared again.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ejercito.mde.es/en/unidades/Madrid/eget/Historial/index.html?__locale=en|title=War School of the Army|website=Spanish Army|access-date=30 September 2018}}

In 1837, experience had shown the ineffectiveness of all the decisions that had been taken to replace the Body of General Staff and the General Staff was again established for the proper functioning of the Army. Its new organization was approved on January 1, 1838 and in front of it was a Director-General.{{Cite web|url=https://www.boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE//1838/1139/A00001-00001.pdf|title=Royal decree of 1838 reorganizing the army's staff}}

In 1904, the Central Staff of the Army (EMCE) appeared, which was suppressed in 1912 and returned to the previous organization, the General Staff Body; the EMCE was re-created in 1916 and abolished in 1925. During the Second Republic the Body of General Staff was finally suppressed and the EMCE was re-created.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ejercito.mde.es/unidades/Madrid/ihycm/Archivos/agm-madrid-fondo3-1.html|title=Institute of History and Military Culture|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929114749/http://www.ejercito.mde.es/unidades/Madrid/ihycm/Archivos/agm-madrid-fondo3-1.html|archive-date=2018-09-29|url-status=dead}}

After the Civil War, on August 31, 1939, the High Command was created, the true predecessor of the current Defence Staff, with Brigadier General Juan Vigón in front as Chief of the General Staff. The High Command was active throughout Francoist Spain and part of the Spanish transition to democracy, disappearing on June 13, 1980.{{Cite web|url=https://boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1980-11881|title=Law 26/1980, of May 19, by which the High Staff is suppressed, once transferred the functions to the Board of Chiefs of Staff and High Defence Organizations.|website=boe.es|language=es|access-date=2018-09-30}}

Three years earlier, in 1977, the Joint Chiefs of Staff had been created as the principal body of the General Staff to advise the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence and whose chairman was also the Chief of the General Staff. This body assumed all the functions of the EMP when it was suppressed.

In 1984, the Joint Chiefs of Staff was institutionalized and the position of Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD) was created, replacing the Chairman of the Board of Chiefs of Staff. At the same time, the Defence Staff was created to support the JEMAD. The Joint Chiefs of Staff was in force until 2005, when the new National Defence Organic Act created the National Defence Council as an advisory body to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence.{{Cite web|url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2005-18933|title=Organic Act 5/2005, of November 17, of the National Defence.|website=www.boe.es|language=es|access-date=2018-09-30}}

To see previous Chiefs of Staff, go to Defence High Command and Board of Joint Chiefs of Staff.

† denotes people who died in office.

{{Officeholder table start

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| showimage = y

| image_title = Portrait

| officeholder_title = Chief of the JEMAD

| showtermlenght = y

| showparty = n

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| alt_officeholder_title = Commander-in-Chief

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{{Officeholder table

| order = 1

| image =

| military_rank = Admiral General

| officeholder = Ángel Liberal Lucini

| officeholder_sort = Lucini, Ángel Liberal

| born_year = 1921

| died_year = 2006

| term_start = 11 January 1984

| term_end = 31 October 1986

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|1984|1|11|1986|10|31}}

| defence_branch = 50px
Navy

| alt_officeholder = Juan Carlos I

| ref = {{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1984-689 Real Decreto 149/1984, de 11 de enero, por el que se nombra Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa al Almirante don Angel Liberal Lucini.] The Spanish Official Gazette.{{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1999-11519 Real Decreto 2296/1986, de 31 de octubre, por el que cesa como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa, el Almirante don Angel Liberal Lucini.] The Spanish Official Gazette.

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 2

| image =

| military_rank = Lieutenant General

| officeholder = Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá

| officeholder_sort = Romá, Gonzalo Puigcerver

| born_year = 1924

| died_year = 2012

| term_start = 31 October 1986

| term_end = 18 May 1990

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|1986|10|31|1990|5|18}}

| defence_branch = 100px
Air Force

| alt_officeholder = Juan Carlos I

| ref = {{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1986-28974 Real Decreto 2299/1986, de 31 de octubre, por el que se nombra Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa al Teniente General del Ejército del Aire don Gonzalo Puigcerver Roma.] The Spanish Official Gazette.{{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1990-11357 Real Decreto 620/1990, de 18 de mayo, por el que se dispone el cese del Teniente General del Ejército del Aire, don Gonzalo Puigcerver Romá como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa.] The Spanish Official Gazette.

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 3

| image =

| military_rank = Admiral

| officeholder = Gonzalo Rodríguez Martín-Granizo

| officeholder_sort = Martín-Granizo, Gonzalo Rodríguez

| born_year = 1928

| died_year = 1992

| died = y

| term_start = 18 May 1990

| term_end = 16 December 1992

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|1990|5|18|1992|12|16}}

| defence_branch = 50px
Navy

| alt_officeholder = Juan Carlos I

| ref = {{in lang|es}} [http://elpais.com/diario/1992/12/17/espana/724546804_850215.html El jefe de la cúpula militar muere de un derrame cerebral..] El País (17/12/92).

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 4

| image = José Rodrigo en 1967.jpg

| military_rank = Lieutenant General

| officeholder = {{Interlanguage link|José Rodrigo Rodrigo|es}}

| officeholder_sort = Rodrigo, José Rodrigo

| born_year = 1928

| died_year = 2016

| term_start = 23 December 1992

| term_end = 26 July 1996

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|1992|12|23|1996|7|26}}

| defence_branch = 50px
Army

| alt_officeholder = Juan Carlos I

| ref = {{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1996-17268 Real Decreto 1596/1992, de 23 de diciembre, por el que se nombra Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa al Teniente General don José Rodrigo Rodrigo..] The Spanish Official Gazette.{{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1996-17268 Real Decreto 1848/1996, de 26 de julio, por el que se dispone el cese del Teniente General del Cuerpo General de las Armas del Ejército de Tierra don José Rodrigo Rodrigo como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa..] The Spanish Official Gazette.

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 5

| image =

| military_rank = General of the Air

| officeholder = Santiago Valderas Cañestro

| officeholder_sort = Cañestro, Santiago Valderas

| born_year = 1933

| died_year = 2019

| term_start = 26 July 1996

| term_end = 15 December 2000

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|1996|7|26|2000|12|15}}

| defence_branch = 100px
Air Force

| alt_officeholder = Juan Carlos I

| ref = {{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1999-11501 Real Decreto 852/1999, de 21 de mayo, por el que se promueve al empleo de General del Aire al Teniente General don Santiago Valderas Cañestro, Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa.] The Spanish Official Gazette.{{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1996-17269 Real Decreto 1849/1996, de 26 de julio, por el que se nombra Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa al Teniente General del Cuerpo General del Ejército del Aire don Santiago Valderas Cañestro.] The Spanish Official Gazette.{{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2000-22727 Real Decreto 3429/2000, de 15 de diciembre, por el que se dispone el cese del General del Aire del Cuerpo General del Ejército del Aire don Santiago Valderas Cañestro como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa.] The Spanish Official Gazette.

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 6

| image =

| military_rank = Admiral General

| officeholder = {{Interlanguage link|Antonio Moreno Barberá|es}}

| officeholder_sort = Barberá, Antonio Moreno

| born_year = 1940

| died_year = 2023

| term_start = 15 December 2000

| term_end = 25 June 2004

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|2000|12|15|2004|6|25}}

| defence_branch = 50px
Navy

| alt_officeholder = Juan Carlos I

| ref = {{in lang|es}} [http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/2000/12/12/024.html Moreno Barberá será nombrado el próximo viernes nuevo JEMAD]{{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2000-22728 Real Decreto 3430/2000, de 15 de diciembre, por el que se nombra Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa al Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Antonio Moreno Barberá.] The Spanish Official Gazette.{{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2004-12020) Real Decreto 1558/2004, de 25 de junio, por el que se dispone el cese del Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Antonio Moreno Barberá como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa.] The Spanish Official Gazette.

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 7

| image = General Félix Sanz Roldán.jpg

| military_rank = General of the Army

| officeholder = Félix Sanz Roldán

| officeholder_sort = Roldán, Félix Sanz

| born_year = 1945

| died_year =

| term_start = 25 June 2004

| term_end = 18 July 2008

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|2004|6|25|2008|7|18}}

| defence_branch = 50px
Army

| alt_officeholder = Juan Carlos I

| ref = {{in lang|es}} [http://www.lavanguardia.mobi/slowdevice/noticia/51262794681/Felix-Sanz-Roldan-nombrado-nuevo-Jefe-del-Estado-Mayor-de-la-Defensa.html Félix Sanz Roldán, nombrado nuevo Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213042639/http://www.lavanguardia.mobi/slowdevice/noticia/51262794681/Felix-Sanz-Roldan-nombrado-nuevo-Jefe-del-Estado-Mayor-de-la-Defensa.html |date=2013-12-13 }}{{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2004-12021 Real Decreto 1559/2004, de 25 de junio, por el que se nombra Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa al Teniente General del Cuerpo General de las Armas del Ejército de Tierra don Félix Sanz Roldán.] The Spanish Official Gazette.{{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2008-12393 Real Decreto 1248/2008, de 18 de julio, por el que se dispone el cese del General de Ejército del Cuerpo General de las Armas del Ejército de Tierra don Félix Sanz Roldán como Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa.] The Spanish Official Gazette.

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 8

| image = José Julio Rodríguez, 18 July 2008 (cropped).jpg

| military_rank = General of the Air

| officeholder = José Julio Rodríguez Fernández

| officeholder_sort = Fernández, José Julio Rodríguez

| born_year = 1948

| died_year =

| term_start = 18 July 2008

| term_end = 30 December 2011

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|2008|7|18|2011|12|30}}

| defence_branch = 100px
Air Force

| alt_officeholder = Juan Carlos I

| ref = {{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2008-12394 Real Decreto 1249/2008, de 18 de julio, por el que se nombra Jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa al Teniente General del Cuerpo General del Ejército del Aire don José Julio Rodríguez Fernández.] The Spanish Official Gazette.{{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2011-20666 Real Decreto 1892/2011, de 30 de diciembre, por el que se dispone el cese del General de Aire don José Julio Rodríguez Fernández como Jefe de Estado Mayor de la Defensa.] The Spanish Official Gazette.

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 9

| image = JEMAD García en 2016.jpg

| military_rank = Admiral General

| officeholder = Fernando García Sánchez

| officeholder_sort = Sánchez, Fernando García

| born_year = 1953

| died_year =

| term_start = 30 December 2011

| term_end = 24 March 2017

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|2011|12|30|2017|3|24}}

| defence_branch = 50px
Navy

| alt_officeholder = Juan Carlos I

| alt_officeholder2 = Felipe VI

| ref = {{in lang|es}} {{cite web |url=http://www.boe.es/aeboe/consultas/bases_datos/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2011-20677 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721001016/http://www.boe.es/aeboe/consultas/bases_datos/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2011-20677 |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 July 2012 |title=Real Decreto 1903/2011, de 30 de diciembre, por el que se nombra Jefe de Estado Mayor de la Defensa al Almirante del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Fernando García Sánchez |date=31 December 2011 |author=boe.es |language=es }}{{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2017/03/28/pdfs/BOE-A-2017-3330.pdf Real Decreto 287/2017, de 24 de marzo, por el que se dispone el cese del Almirante General del Cuerpo General de la Armada don Fernando García Sánchez como Jefe de Estado Mayor de la Defensa.] The Spanish Official Gazette.

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 10

| image = JEMAD Alejandre en 2017.jpg

| military_rank = General of the Army

| officeholder = Fernando Alejandre Martínez

| officeholder_sort = Martínez, Fernando Alejandre

| born_year = 1956

| died_year =

| term_start = 24 March 2017

| term_end = 15 January 2020

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|2017|3|24|2020|1|15}}

| defence_branch = 50px
Army

| alt_officeholder = Felipe VI

| ref = {{in lang|es}} [https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2017/03/28/pdfs/BOE-A-2017-3331.pdf New head of the Joint Chiefs of Spanish Defence Staff, General of the Army Fernando Alejandre Martínez. The Spanish Official Gazette (28/03/17)].

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 11

| image = Villarroya Vilalta.jpg

| military_rank = General of the Air

| officeholder = Miguel Ángel Villarroya

| officeholder_sort = Villarroya, Miguel Ángel

| born_year = 1957

| died_year =

| term_start = 15 January 2020

| term_end = 27 January 2021

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|2020|1|15|2021|1|27}}

| defence_branch = 100px
Air Force

| alt_officeholder = Felipe VI

| ref = {{in lang|es}} [https://boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2020-509 New head of the Defence Staff, General of the Air Miguel Ángel Villarroya Vilalta. The Spanish Official Gazette (28/03/17)].{{Cite web|last=González|first=Miguel|date=2021-01-23|title=Dimite el jefe del Estado Mayor de la Defensa ante el escándalo provocado por su vacunación|url=https://elpais.com/espana/2021-01-23/el-jemad-presenta-su-dimision-por-haberse-vacunado-de-la-covid.html|access-date=2021-01-24|website=EL PAÍS|language=es}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 12

| image = (Teodoro Esteban López Calderón) 180616-N-MZ309-213 (cropped).jpg

| military_rank = Admiral General

| officeholder = Teodoro Esteban López Calderón

| officeholder_sort = López Calderón, Teodoro Esteban

| born_year = 1954

| died_year =

| term_start = 27 January 2021

| timeinoffice = {{Age in years and days|2021|1|27}}

| defence_branch = 50px
Navy

| alt_officeholder = Felipe VI

| ref = {{Cite web|date=2021-01-26|title=El almirante Teodoro López Calderón, actual jefe de la Armada, será el nuevo Jemad|url=https://www.abc.es/espana/abci-almirante-lopez-calderon-actual-jefe-armada-sera-nuevo-jemad-202101261352_noticia.html|access-date=2021-01-26|website=abc|language=es}}

}}

{{Officeholder table end}}

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• Chief of Staff of the Army (Spain)
• Chief of Staff of the Navy (Spain)
• Chief of Staff of the Air Force (Spain)
• Ministers of Defence
• Captain general of the Army
• Captain general of the Navy
• Captain general of the Air Force
• Spanish Armed Forces

{{reflist}}

{{Commanders of the Spanish Armed Forces}}

{{FFAA España}}

{{Chief of military by country}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Defence Staff, Chief Of The}}

Category:Chiefs of the Defence Staff (Spain)

Spain

Category:1984 establishments in Spain

Category:Secretaries of State of Spain