Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee

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.

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]

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

• Chairman of the NATO Military Committee
• NATO Military Committee
• Chairman of the European Union Military Committee
• International Military Staff
• Supreme Allied Commander Europe

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