Chain of Command

1. Level 1

   Commander in Chief

   The President of the United States

   

   Donald J. Trump

   47th President
   ↓
2. Level 2

   Secretary of Defense

   Civilian head of the Department of Defense

   

   Pete Hegseth

   29th SecDef
   ↓
3. Level 3

   Military Department Secretaries

   Civilian heads of the service departments

   

   Daniel Driscoll

   Sec. of the Army

   

   John Phelan

   Sec. of the Navy

   

   Troy Meink

   Sec. of the Air Force

   

   Kristi Noem

   Sec. of Homeland Security
   ↓
4. Level 4

   Service Chiefs

   Highest-ranking uniformed officer of each service

   

   Gen. Randy A. George

   Chief of Staff, Army

   

   Adm. James W. Kilby

   Acting CNO, Navy

   

   Gen. David W. Allvin

   Chief of Staff, Air Force

   

   Gen. Eric M. Smith

   Commandant, Marine Corps

   

   Gen. B. Chance Saltzman

   Chief of Space Operations

   

   Adm. Kevin E. Lunday

   Commandant, Coast Guard
   ↓
5. Level 5

   Major Command

   Unified combatant commands (e.g., FORSCOM, AFGSC, USFF)

   
   ↓
6. Level 6

   Division

   ~10,000–20,000 personnel • Major General (O-8)

   
   ↓
7. Level 7

   Brigade

   ~3,000–5,000 personnel • Colonel (O-6)

   
   ↓
8. Level 8

   Battalion

   ~300–1,000 personnel • Lt. Colonel (O-5)

   
   ↓
9. Level 9

   Company

   ~100–200 personnel • Captain (O-3)

   
   ↓
10. Level 10

    Platoon

    ~16–50 personnel • Lieutenant (O-1/O-2)

    
    ↓
11. Level 11

    Squad

    ~4–12 personnel • Sergeant (E-5/E-6)

    

Portraits: Wikimedia Commons (official U.S. government photos). Lower organizational levels (Division through Squad) rotate frequently and are not tied to a single national officeholder.