Chief of the Defence Staff (Fatrea)
| Chief of the Defence Staff | |
|---|---|
Incumbent Vacant | |
| Ministry of Defence | |
| Abbreviation | CDS |
| Member of | Defence Council |
| Nominator | Prime Minister |
| Appointer | Monarch |
| Term length | At His Majesty's Pleasure |
| Formation | 16 February 2024 |
| Unofficial names | Chief of Defence |
| Deputy | Vice Chief of Defence |
The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), sometimes informally known as the Chief of Defence, is the professional head of the Armed Forces of Fatrea. As well as this they are the senior-most uniformed military adviser to the prime minister and the secretary of state for defence. The CDS is based at the Ministry of Defence. The chief of defence is the highest ranking officer to currently serve in the armed forces.
The CDS sits as a member of the defence council.
The office is currently vacant.
History
The post of CDS was established on 16 February 2024. It was founded with the armed forces to act as their commander on behalf of the monarch (who serves as commander-in-chief).
Appointment
In their role as commander-in-chief, the monarch appoints the CDS - who serves at the monarch's pleasure. The CDS is usually appointed at the monarch's discretion but the prime minister and secretary of state for defence can make nominations for potential appointees when a vacancy occurs.
Deputies
The CDS is supported by a deputy - the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. The vice chief is usually of an equivalent rank but different branch to the CDS, or they can be the rank below and same branch as the CDS.
The CDS maintains a close relationship with the secretary of state for defence and other senior staff within the ministry of defence - particularly the ministry's senior civil servants.
Responsibilities
The chief of the defence staff's responsibilities include:
- Leading Defence
- Setting Strategy for Defence
- Overseeing Future Development of the Armed Forces
- Conduct of Current Operations
- Leading Relations With Other Countries' Armed Forces