Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff

The Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (French: Vice-chef d'état-major de la Défense) is the deputy of the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Forces and the second-highest ranking non-civilian member of the military. The Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff outranks all chiefs of staff of the four service branches of the Canadian Forces, and according to the Constitution of Canada becomes acting Chief of the Defence Staff in the event of the death or incapacitation of the sitting Chief of the Defence Staff. The Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff is, along with the Chief of the Defence Staff, one of only two non-civilian members of the Canadian Forces not formally belonging to any of the four service branches or a special service.