Who is the principal military advisor to the President and National Security Council?

• A. The Secretary of Defense
• B. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• C. The Secretary of the Army
• D. The Director of National Intelligence

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is knowing who serves as the President’s top military advisor. The answer is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This person is the senior-most military officer in the U.S. Armed Forces and chairs the Joint Chiefs of Staff, providing military advice directly to the President and the National Security Council. The Secretary of Defense leads the whole Department of Defense and has broad authority over the armed forces, but is not the principal military advisor to the President. The Director of National Intelligence heads the intelligence community and handles intelligence matters, not military policy advice. The Secretary of the Army is a service secretary focused on one branch and does not serve as the President’s military adviser. It’s also important to note that the chairman offers military options and policy input, while operational command remains with the Combatant Commanders under the Secretary of Defense.