Defence Staff Structure

1. Joint Defence Staff (EMACON) is the auxiliary command body of ESP CHOD in the exercise of his responsibilities. It will act as the main coordinator of the CGEMAD's general activities.
2. It will support and advise ESP CHOD in the definition of military strategy, military planning, force development and the strategic conduct of operations.
3. Leading military planning within the framework of defence planning, in coordination with representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Armed Forces' branches and other EMAD bodies.
4. Joint Staff will lead the process of transformation of Armed Forces' military capabilities. The Chief of the Joint Defence Staff (JEMACON) will hold the position of Head of Military Transformation and will have a support element for this.
5. Supporting ESP CHOD in carrying out the necessary actions to ensure the operational readiness of the Armed Forces.
6. It will identify, in coordination with the Army and the Navy, the shortcomings of the Joint Force (JF) during its preparation and implementation process and will analyse those that could lead to the need for conceptual development or the creation or updating of joint courses, or both at the same time.

EMACON is made up of:

1. Commander (JEMACON).
2. Private Secretariat.
3. The General Secretariat of the Joint Staff (SEGEMACON).
4. The Plans Division (DIVPLA).
5. The Strategy Division (DIVESTRA).
6. The Force Development Division (DIVDEF).
7. The Joint Health Directorate (JECOSAN).
8. The National Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Cell (CENCIED).
9. The Verification Unit (UVE).
10. The Information and Knowledge Management Section (SGIC).
11. The HQ's Security and support Office (JESES- CGEMAD).

To support its tasks, the Head Office may have a Research Office.

Chief of Joint Staff is Lieutenant General (Army), Fernando García González-Valerio.

For further information on EMACON and all its component units you can visit the UNITS tab of this website. 

1. The Head of Human Resources (JRRHH) will be the body responsible for planning, coordination, control and management of the military and civilian personnel within the CGEMAD component units and of such other personnel as may be determined. It will draw up the proposal for the EMAD units' organic staffs and the job descriptions for posts and jobs. It manages vacancies, commissions and postings within the CGEMAD units, as well as in posts in the OISD reporting to ESP CHOD. It provides general and administrative support to the military and civilian personnel within the CGEMAD component units and to such other personnel as may be determined. It will authorise and control the secondments of personnel assigned to CGEMAD, with the exception of the main Headquarters, CESEDEN, GABJEMAD and GABTECJEMAD, in accordance with the directives issued by JEMACON.
2. To advise ESP CHOD in the area of education that falls under his responsibility, synchronising the teaching of National Defence Studies and joint training with the needs of the operational structure of the Armed Forces, in coordination with EMACON and CESEDEN.
3. To advise ESP CHOD, in coordination with EMACON, on the position before the OISD in the area of its responsibility, as well as on the planning and management of personnel resources within the CGEMAD units and other personnel that may be determined, participating in the Defence Planning process that may be required.
4. It will be the representative to the OISD in human resources aspects wihin the CGEMAD's area of responsibility, drafting and coordinating the Armed Forces' assesment.
5. It will be in charge of processing all files related to the awarding of medals from international organisations and badges of permanent service in the EMAD, as well as for the participation of personnel in missions and operations. 

JRRHH is structured as follows:

1. Head.
2. Secretariat.
3. Human Resources Planning Section (SEPLRRHH).
4. Management and Support Section (SEGEASPO).
5. General Affairs Section (SEAAGG).

The position of Head of Human Resources is filled by Major General (Army), Jose Miguel de los Santos Granados.

The Assistance and Advisory Bodies are as follows:

1. CHOD's Cabinet Office (GABJEMAD).
2. CHOD's Technical Cabinet (GABTECJEMAD).
3. Permanent Secretariat of the Council of Chiefs of Staff (SEPERCJEM).
4. Defence Staff HQ Legal Advisory Office (ASEJUEMAD).

• CHOD's Cabinet Office (GABJEMAD): This is a support, advisory and immediate assistance body to the mentioned authority, with the organic level of a general sub-directorate.

The position of CHOD's Cabinet Director is held by Brigadier General (Air Force), Manuel de la Chica Camúñez.

• CHOD's Technical Cabinet (GABTECJEMAD): 

1.- It will be a body providing immediate support to CHOD, with the generic function of studying, advising, directing and processing all matters affecting to CHOD, as well as within the framework of the OISD by delegation of the Minister of Defence and as the institutional representative of the Armed Forces.

2.- GABTECJEMAD will be established as the support body to CHOD in matters related to the National Security System (SSN), the National Defence Council and the rest of the SSN's specialised committees.

3.- It will be responsible for CHOD's institutional relations with all public and private administrations and organisations.

4.- It will direct, coordinate, design and execute all CHOD's public and protocol activities in Spain and abroad.

5.- It will coordinate and execute along with media and social networks all activities related to strategic communication and public information within the CGEMAD, providing guidelines to the entire EMAD, in coordination with EMACON.

6.- EMAD's Sergeant Major will report directly to CHOD and will be administratively attached to GABTECJEMAD.

7.- It will be structured as follows

a. PartIcular Secretariat (SECGABTECJEMAD).

b. Technical Department (COTEC).

c. Office of Institutional Relations and Protocol (ORIP).

d. Communication Office (CO).

e. Office of Classified Documentation (ODC).

f. CHOD's aide-de-camp (ACJEMAD).

• The Permanent Secretariat of the Council of Chiefs of Staff (SEPERCJM): It will act as the administrative body of such council and other councils and summits the JEMAD may entrust to it. It will have the technical and administrative support of the GABTECJEMAD. At CHOD's proposal, among the staff of CGEMAD, the head of the Ministry of Defence shall designate the person who will act as Head of the Permanent Secretariat, who shall act as Secretary of the Council of the Chiefs of Staff, with voice but no vote.

• Defence Staff HQ Legal Advisory Office (ASEJUEMAD): 

1.- The Legal Advisory Office within the Defence Staff HQ (ASEJUEMAD) is the sole consultative and advisory body on legal matters to CHOD and such other bodies he may determine. It shall report organically to CHOD and functionally to the General Defence Legal Advisor's Office.

2.- The Retamares Base Legal Section shall be part of this, and shall provide legal advice directly to all the units hosted at Retamares Base and to the units subordinate to them, regardless of their location and place of assignment, in accordance with the implementing provisions issued in this area. This section will report organically and functionally to the Head of ASEJUEMAD.

Defence Staff HQ's Legal Advisor is Colonel Auditor, Ramón Martínez Guillem.

1. The Head of Economic Affairs (JAE) is responsible for the direction, management, administration and control of the financial resources assigned to the JEMAD, advising him on all matters relating to these issues and on budget matters, as well as procurement and accounting. In coordination with the EMACON and the MOPS, it will also manage the financial resources allocated to finance the involvement of the Armed Forces in peace and humanitarian aid operations assigned to the EMAD and in such other operations as may be determined. It reports functionally to the Directorate-General for Economic Affairs.
2. It shall draw up the estimates of financial resource requirements for the operation and general administration of EMAD.
3. It is responsible for the technical preparation of the preliminary draft budget (SP02) "Defence Staff" and the centralisation of all information, both on the forecast and execution of programmes and the budget itself, as well as monitoring and controlling expenses, and keeping the accounts.
4. It shall carry out the control and monitoring of the budgetary financing of peace operations expenses and humanitarian aid allocated to EMAD, in such other operations as may be determined and of the SP02 appropriations managed by external bodies.
5. It shall support CGEMAD bodies responsible for planning the rest of the resources in the area of its competence and shall provide economic-legal advice on budgetary and procurement within the CGEMAD.
6. The Head of Economic Affairs will set a detachment at Retamares Base.

The Head of JAE is Navy Quartermaster Colonel, Santiago José Acosta Ortega.

The figure of the Chief of Defence (JEMAD in Spanish), was created in 1980.

As an operational commander, and due to the continuous integration of the three branches of the Armed Forces, the Chief of Defence was gradually extending his functions until the present time, in which he exercises the joint operational command of the Armed Forces.

The background of joint forces, as the main reason for strengthening the figure of CHOD, can be found at the early beginning of the 20th century, when,  Army and Navy forces disembarked at Alhucemas, an operation under the command of the High Commissioner in Morocco.

In 1939, the High Staff Command (HSC) was established, creating the unity of command, the arrangement of the chain of command and high military studies schools. Also, the Joint Staff (EMACON) with the aim of carrying out the study of joint doctrine and the training of senior officers and joint general staff.

The formalisation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and EMACON as its working body led to the abolition of the HSC and later, in 1980, to the creation of the figure of JEMAD.