"[5] The vice chairman is nominated by the president for appointment from any of the regular components of the armed forces, and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate.

[3] The vice chairman serves a single four-year term of office at the pleasure of the president,[3][6] and cannot be reappointed to serve additional terms unless in times of war or national emergency,[3][6] in which case there is no limit to how many times an officer can be reappointed.

[3] The position of vice chairman was created by the Goldwater–Nichols Act of 1986 in order to centralize the military advisory chain of command to the president, the secretary of defense, and to the National Security Council.

The positional color (flag) of the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is white with a diagonal medium blue strip from upper hoist to lower fly.

Centered on the flag is an American bald eagle with wings spread horizontally, in proper colors.

Diagonally, from upper fly to lower hoist are four five-pointed stars, medium blue on the white, two above the eagle, and two below.