<P> After the 1986 reorganization of the military undertaken by the Goldwater - Nichols Act , the Joint Chiefs of Staff does not have operational command of U.S. military forces . Responsibility for conducting military operations goes from the President to the Secretary of Defense directly to the commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands and thus bypasses the Joint Chiefs of Staff completely . </P>
<P> After the 1986 reorganization of the military undertaken by the Goldwater - Nichols Act , the Joint Chiefs of Staff does not have operational command of U.S. military forces . Responsibility for conducting military operations goes from the President to the Secretary of Defense directly to the commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands and thus bypasses the Joint Chiefs of Staff completely . </P>
who is the highest ranking military officer today
who is the highest ranking military officer today
President
President