| DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ORDER OF PRECEDENCE |
| The following is the current list provided by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Protocol Office in regards to Department of Defense Order of Precedence. Any questions can be referred to OSD Protocol Office at (703) -697-7064. |
| CODE 1 |
| President of the United States Heads of State/Reigning Royalty |
| CODE 2 |
| Vice President of the United States Secretary of Defense Deputy Secretary of Defense Secretary of the Army Secretary of the Navy Secretary of the Air ForcE Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition (Precedes Service Secretaries only on Acquisition Matters) Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chiefs of Services Commanders-in-Chief of Unified & Specified Commands of the four-star grade Retired Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Retired Chiefs of Services Retired Commanders-in-Chief of Unified & Specified Commands of the four-star grade Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition |
| CODE 3 |
| Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Director of Defense Research and Engineering Assistant Secretaries of Defense, DOD General Counsel, DOD Inspector General, and Director of Operational Test and Evaluation Judges on Court of Military Appeals Under Secretary of the Army Under Secretary of the Navy Under Secretary of the Air Force Vice Chiefs of Services Assistant Secretaries and General Counsels of the Army, Navy, and Air Force Generals and Admirals (4-star) Retired Generals and Admirals (4-star) The Special Assistants to the Secretary of Defense The Special Assistants to the Deputy Secretary of Defense Assistants to the Secretary of Defense Director, Administration and Management Director, Program Analysis and Evaluation |
| CODE 4 |
| Directors of Defense Agencies Deputy Under Secretaries of Defense (non-statutory), Deputy Directors of Defense Research and Engineering, Principals Deputy Assistant Secretaries of Defense, DOD Principal Deputy General Counsel, DOD Deputy Inspector General, DOD Principal Deputy Comptroller, Director of Net Assessment, Director of Defense Procurement, and Director Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Administrative Assistants of the Army, Navy, and Air Force Lieutenant Generals and Vice Admirals (3-star) Retired Lieutenant Generals and Vice Admirals (3-star) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretaries and Principal Deputy General Counsels of the Army, Navy and Air Force Deputy Assistant Secretaries of Defense, DOD Deputy General Counsels, Defense Advisor US Mission NATO, Secretary of Defense Representatives to International Negotiations, Deputy Comptrollers, and Assistant Inspectors General Deputy Under Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force Members of Secretary of Defense Boards |
| CODE 5 |
| Major Generals and Rear Admirals of the upper half (2-star) Deputy Assistant Secretaries and Deputy General Counsels of the Army, Navy, and Air Force OSD Historian |
| CODE 6 |
| Brigadier Generals and Rear Admirals of the lower half (1-star) Assistant Deputy Under Secretaries and Principal Directors |
| NOTES |
| 1. For SES positions not listed above, please contact the OSD Protocol Office or the individual Services as appropriate. 2. Within a group listed on a line under a Code, precedence is by date of appointment. |
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