Joint Chiefs of the Imperial Military

The Joint Chiefs of the Imperial Military served as an advisory panel, consisting of prominent military figures from various branches of the armed forces and intelligence communities, tasked with guiding the strategic direction of the Imperial Military. According to historian Beaumont Kin, it represented the nearest equivalent to a unified command structure overseeing all military assets of the Galactic Empire, including both the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Army. This group, composed of a diverse collection of generals, admirals, and other high-ranking military officers, provided advice and updates to the supreme head of state and overall military commander, the Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine, concerning the status of military operations. The Joint Chiefs also provided daily reports to the Supreme Commander, who directed the Imperial High Command. The Joint Chiefs also had interactions with the later supreme commander of the Imperial fleet, Darth Vader, who delegated the practical implementation of his directives to them.

The Joint Chiefs' membership was comprised of both permanent and rotating representatives, notably including the Chief of the Imperial Army and the Chief of the Imperial Navy. The council also featured high-ranking officers representing the Imperial Army, Navy, the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order, the Imperial Security Bureau, and the Naval Intelligence Agency, in addition to various Moffs.

During the initial stages of the Galactic Empire, key figures from various Imperial Military branches convened at a summit held at Raven's Peak on Eriadu. Attendees included Governor Wilhuff Tarkin, General Hurst Romodi representing the Imperial Army, Admiral Barton Coburn from the Imperial Navy, Chief Scientist Doctor Royce Hemlock of the Advanced Science Division, and Tarkin's rival Commander Orson Callan Krennic of the Imperial Weapons Division. This summit marked one of the first gatherings of individuals who would soon form the Joint Chiefs, with Tarkin appearing to assume the role of a consistent leader within the group.

In 14 BBY, the Joint Chiefs included army leaders such as General Cassio Tagge, and naval chiefs such as Vice Admiral Tallatz, Rear Admiral Tiaan Jerjerrod, Admiral Conan Antonio Motti, Admiral Kendal Ozzel, and a minimum of three female Admirals. Intelligence chiefs were also active in the Empire and could be part of the Joint Chiefs. Director Armand Isard of the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order seemed to represent COMPOR, at least in part, during Joint Chiefs meetings. ISB Deputy Director Harus Ison, ISB Colonel Wullf Yularen, Naval Intelligence Agency Deputy Director and Vice Admiral Dodd Rancit, NIA Vice Admiral Terrinald Screed were all also part of the Joint Chiefs, representing their respective organizations.

Although Tarkin was not on active duty due to his assignment at Sentinel Base in 14 BBY, historian Captain Beaumont Kin still included him in his list of Joint Chiefs members from that era in his book, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire. Tarkin did attend a Joint Chiefs meeting that year during the Berch Teller campaign. While not yet a member of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Nils Tenant was recalled to join a Joint Chief meeting as well. Following the Berch Teller's campaign, the Imperial hierarchy underwent significant changes; Rancit was killed for treason, Tenant was appointed to the Joint Chiefs, Yularen became Deputy Director of the NIA, and Ison was promoted to the Ubiqtorate. Motti, Tagge, and others also received promotions. Tarkin was himself elevated to the newly created rank of Grand Moff by the Emperor. Palpatine further established the Council of Moffs.

As of 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. Admirals Ozzel and Jerjerrod also continued their membership. Yularen, Tarkin, Chief Siward Cass, General Moradmin Bast, who was Tarkin's aide on the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station, General Romodi, General Trech Molock, Director Krennic, and Sith warlord Darth Vader, were all members of the Joint Chiefs at that time. As informal Commander-in-Chief with power delegated directly to him by his Sith Master, Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine himself, Lord Vader was seen by many as his rank within 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 Joint Chiefs experienced a significant reduction in membership. General Tagge was promoted to Grand General and assumed the position of supreme commander of the Imperial military. General Romodi also continued his service within the Imperial Army. Lord Vader, who killed General Tagge for his failings after Doctor Cylo's attempted Cylo Hijacking. was promoted by Emperor Palpatine to Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet and given direct command of Death Squadron. Admiral Ozzel took command of the Sith Lord's fleet, while Jhared Montferrat joined the Joint Chiefs sometime after Tagge's death, and Jerjerrod, who was also promoted to Moff at some point, was assigned to the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station as the Director of Imperial Energy Systems and Commander. With Darth Vader primarily focused on hunting down the Rebel base, the Joint Chiefs were able to concentrate on other aspects of the war, such as disrupting the Alliance's supply routes and its ability to sustain its military operations.

The Joint Chiefs of the Imperial Military was composed of various Imperial officers that held a significant amount of power and influence over Imperial military policy and strategy. Membership of the body was a mix of permanent and rotating high-ranking representatives. Governor Wilhuff Tarkin was an omnipresent individual in the Joint Chiefs, serving as chair.

Permanent and rotating members included:

• General Moradmin Bast , [5] Science and Engineering Division [24] — member until their death at the Battle of Yavin [5] in 0 BBY. [9]
• Siward Cass — member until their death at the Battle of Yavin [5] in 0 BBY. [9]
• Admiral Barton Coburn , Imperial Navy— member of the summit on Eriadu [5] in 18 BBY, [25] which soon became the Joint Chiefs. [5]
• General Ire Falk , Imperial Army— member by the Battle of Endor [5] in 4 ABY . [9]
• Vice Admiral Corf Ferno , Imperial Navy— member during the reconstruction following the Battle of Yavin [5] in 0 BBY. [9]
• Chief Scientist Doctor Royce Hemlock , Advanced Science Division — member of the summit on Eriadu which soon became the Joint Chiefs until his death in 18 BBY. [5]
• Chairman Armand Isard , Director of COMPNOR — intelligence chief and member [5] by 14 BBY . [26]
• Deputy Director Harus Ison , Imperial Security Bureau — an intelligence chief and member [5] by 14 BBY. [26]
• Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod — member [1] by 14 BBY [26] as a Rear Admiral. Rejoined the Joint Chiefs by the Battle of Endor [5] in 4 ABY until his death that year and battle. [9]
• Commander Orson Callan Krennic , Director of Advanced Weapons Research — member of the summit on Eriadu that soon became the Joint Chiefs [5] until [14] his death in the Battle of Scarif. [27]
• General Trech Molock — member until their death at the Battle of Yavin. [5]
• Admiral Jhared Montferrat , Imperial Navy— member in the years prior to the Battle of Yavin. Rejoined the Joint Chiefs following the Cylo Hijacking during reconstruction. [5]
• Admiral of the Navy Conan Antonio Motti , Imperial Navy— member [1] by 14 BBY [26] as a rear admiral. Continued to serve as Chief of the Imperial Navy until his death in the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY. [9]
• Fleet Admiral [28] Kendal Ozzel , Imperial Navy— member [1] by 14 BBY [26] as a rear admiral. Rejoined during reconstruction prior to his death in the Battle of Hoth [5] in 3 ABY . [9]
• Fleet Admiral [29] Firmus Piett , Imperial Navy— member by the Battle of Endor [5] in 4 ABY until his death in that year and battle. [9]
• Vice Admiral Dodd Rancit , Naval Intelligence Agency — an intelligence chief and member [1] by 14 BBY. [26]
• General Hurst Romodi , Imperial Army [6] and Science and Engineering Division [24] — member of the summit on Eriadu [5] in 18 BBY, [25] which soon became the Joint Chiefs [5] as an Imperial Army General. [6] Later rejoined the Joint Chiefs by the time of the Battle of Yavin [5] in 0 BBY [9] as a General in the Science and Engineering Division. [24]
• Vice Admiral Terrinald Screed , Naval Intelligence Agency— an intelligence chief and member [1] by 14 BBY. [26]
• Admiral Rae Sloane , Imperial Navy— member by the Battle of Endor [5] in 4 ABY. [9]
• Grand General Cassio Tagge , Imperial Army— member [1] by 14 BBY [26] as a general and Chief of the Imperial Army . Eventually promoted to Grand General and supreme commander of the Imperial military and was responsible for rebuilding the Joint Chiefs following the Battle of Yavin [5] in 0 BBY. [9] Continued to serve until his death following the Cylo Hijacking [5] in 0 ABY . [9]
• Vice Admiral Tallatz , Imperial Navy— member [3] by 14 BBY. [30]
• Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin— chair of the committee on Eriadu that soon became the Joint Chiefs [5] in 18 BBY . [25] Member until his death at the Battle of Yavin [5] in 0 BBY . [9]
• Admiral Nils Tenant , Imperial Navy— member [1] by 14 BBY. [26]
• De facto Commander-in-Chief [17] and supreme commander of the Imperial fleet Darth Vader— largely distanced himself from the Joint Chiefs. [5]
• General Maximilian Veers , Imperial Army— member by the Battle of Endor [5] in 4 ABY. [9]
• Colonel Wullf Yularen , Imperial Security Bureau and deputy director of the Naval Intelligence Agency [1] — an intelligence chief and member [5] by 14 BBY. [26] Continued to serve until his death at the Battle of Yavin [5] in 0 BBY. [9]
• Three female naval chiefs who held the rank of Admiral were members [3] by 14 BBY. [30]