The Joint Chiefs of the Imperial Military was a advisory board of senior generals, admirals, and other military officers that advised the Emperor on all martial-related matters. The cabinet was composed of the chiefs of the Imperial Army and higher ranking members of the naval chiefs. Owing to the nature of their job, many were known to work closely with top officers of COMPNOR and its sub-agency the Imperial Security Bureau, Imperial Intelligence and the Naval Intelligence Agency, along with members of the Imperial Ruling Council.
The Joint Chiefs of the Imperial Military was an advisory board of high-ranking military personnel from the different branches of the armed forces and intelligence agencies. Composed of an assortment of generals, admirals, and other senior military officers, the Joint Chiefs advised and informed the head of state and overall military commander Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine regarding the state of military matters. The Joint Chiefs also reported daily to the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Military, and leader of Imperial High Command.
Despite the Joint Chiefs reporting to the Supreme Commander, the Imperial High Command was organized below the chiefs, and was responsible for coordinating the Imperial war effort. The IHC consisted of the Admiralty, the General Staff, Stormtrooper Command, Battle Station Command, and members of the Imperial Security Bureau. The Joint Chiefs included the Chief of the Imperial Army and the Chief of the Imperial Navy.
Governor Wilhuff Tarkin
In the nascency of the Galactic Empire, high-ranking personnel representing branches of the Imperial Military attended an Imperial summit on Eriadu, including Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, General Hurst Romodi of the Imperial Army, Admiral Barton Coburn of the Imperial Navy, Chief Scientist Dr. Royce Hemlock of the Advanced Science Division, and Lieutenant Commander Orson Callan Krennic of the Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research.
In 14 BBY, the Joint Chiefs was composed of army chiefs such as General Cassio Tagge, and naval chiefs including Vice Admiral Tallatz, Rear Admiral Tiaan Jerjerrod, Rear Admiral Conan Antonio Motti, Rear Admiral Kendal Ozzel, and at least three female admirals. Intelligence chiefs were also active in the Empire. Director Armand Isard of the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order, Imperial Security Bureau Deputy Director Harus Ison, ISB Colonel Wullf Yularen, Naval Intelligence Agency Deputy Director Vice Admiral Dodd Rancit, NIA Vice Admiral Terrinald Screed were all able to attend meetings with the military Joint Chiefs in 14 BBY. In that same time, Moff Tarkin—who had been away from active duty due to his station at Sentinel Base—and Admiral Nils Tenant were two officers who could do the same.
In the aftermath of the anti-Imperial campaign by the insurgent Berch Teller, the upper levels of Imperial hierarchy experienced reformations; Vice Admiral Rancit was killed for treason, Tenant was made into a Joint Chief, ISB Colonel Yularen was made Deputy Director of the NIA, and Ison was promoted into the Ubiqtorate. Motti, Tagge, and others experienced similar promotions. Tarkin himself would be promoted to the newly-established rank of Grand Moff by the Emperor.
Effectively the Commander-in-Chief, Darth Vader was the informal head of the Imperial Military through the power granted to him by the Emperor and thus was part of the Joint Chiefs.
In 0 BBY, General Tagge and Admiral Motti remained members of the Joint Chiefs, serving as Chief of the Imperial Army and Chief of the Imperial Navy, respectively. Rear Admirals Ozzel and Jerjerrod remained members of the Joint Chiefs. Yularen, Tarkin, Chief Siward Cass, General Moradmin Bast, who served as Tarkin's aide and chief manager of the DS-1 Death Star Mobile Battle Station, General Hurst Romodi, General Trech Molock, Director of Advanced Weapons Research Orson Callan Krennic, and the Emperor's right-hand, Darth Vader, were all members of the Joint Chiefs at that time. As a military commander with power delegated directly to him by Emperor Sheev Palpatine, Lord Vader was the informal Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Military and was referred to as "2" by the military, whereas Palpatine was "1."
Following the destruction of the Death Star at the Battle of Yavin, the membership of the Joint Chiefs was greatly diminished. General Tagge was promoted to Grand General and served as the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Military, General Romodi also continued to serve in the Imperial Army. Lord Vader, who would execute Tagge for his failings after Doctor Cylo's attempted hijacking of the Executor. was put in charge of Death Squadron, with Rear Admiral Ozzel being promoted to Fleet Admiral of the armada. Jhared Montferrat was added to the Joint Chiefs sometime after Tagge's death, and Rear Admiral Jerjerrod, who was also promoted to Moff at some point, was assigned to the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station as both Director of Imperial Energy Systems and commander.
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