European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 11, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine Gen. Maxwell a Thurman vice chief of staff of the army. Gen John l Piotrowsky vice chief of staff of the air Force. Loyal and Low profile military s top deputies by Richard Halloran new York times in Maxwell r Thurman underscores his place As the no 2 officer in the army by filling friends in Avis not  adm James b Eutsay in stays so far from Itic limelight that to Middle ranking Navy Slaff officers say they Don t know whal to does and a third could t recall his name right away. In the air Force Gen John l Pilotowski is known As a Loyal Deputy who does not upstage the  for the Marine corps. Gen Thomas r. Morgan follows a Long Ira Dilion of maintaining a Low profile. To sum these Are our of Washington s men not in the news. Inside the  an army off icer said those Guys stay in the  a search of an electronic data base covering several major newspapers magazines and news services shows Only scan mention of Thurman As vice chief of stall of the army. Busey As vice chief of naval operations Piotrowski As vice chief of staff of the air Force and Morgan As assistant commandant of the Marina corps. Yet each of hese of slicers is responsible Lor the Day today management of his service. As an army officer said Althurman he runs the  01 Busey a naval of a car said he s the one who beats up on us All the Lime an air Force officer described Piotrowski As an arbitrator who resolves Many issues or Send them Tiack to the stall to be refined each no. 2 officer also makes critical Long Range decisions in preparing military budgets about the development of weapons and on the procurement of equipment Morgan Lor ins Lance is the Marine corps main negotiator with it Navy Over getting amphibious ships Buill since they Are paid for a retired office said with Blue dollars. Noi Gro Ori  by Law and in practice the lop Olicer in each service is a member of the joint chiefs of stall and concerns himself heavily with what m Pentagon jargon is called the joint  the Sor inc chief also responds to the civilian Secretary of his department the Secretary of defense and occasionally the president. Outside the executive Branch the chiefs testify before Congress maintain relations with Capitol Hill and seek grass roots support with speeches before military and civic groups they also carry a Large ceremonial Burden in Bolh the military and civilian worlds. Back Al the Pentagon the vice chiefs watch Over the daily Bow of reports decisions and infernal crises settling Many issues themselves and drawing up recommendations on others for the chief to decide. It s a Job of Drudgery said a naval officer. He gets All he garbage he no does l wan and none of he  each of the vice chiefs also travels outside Washington to see for himself what is going on in the Field and to reassure the far Flung forces that they Are not forgotten at Headquarters in addition when the chief is away the vice chief represents him at the thrice weekly meetings of she joint chiefs. Officer from All services who have watched the Workings of the Fop two officers say that no two Are alike that How each pair gets along depends on their personalities military backgrounds and particular interests. For the most part. The army vice chief is already a four Star general before he is named. Gen. John w. Vessey or. Was commander of american forces in Korea before becoming vice chief in 1979 he became chairman of the joint cents in 1982 and retired in 1965. Gen. John a. Wickham jr., the current chief of stall was also he commander in Korea before succeeding Vessey As vice chief in 1982 and moving up to chief in 1983. The Marine corps follows somewhat the same practice with a senior lieutenant general being promoted to assistant commandant. The Marine corps the smallest of the services usually has Only two four Star generals at one time the commandant and the assistant commandant. Gen. . Kelley the present commandant led the rapid deployment Force As a lieutenant general before being promoted to general and named assistant wednesday. February 11, 19b7 commandant in 1981. He became commandant in 19b3. The Navy and the Ait Force toe a differ in philosophy using the no. 2 potion id season the newest four Star Admiral or general before sending him out to a major operating command. Adm. James d Watkns Sel perhaps a classic Hallern As a vice Admiral he was commander of the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean then was promoted to Admiral and named vice chief of naval operations in 1979. After two years he became commander of the Pacific Fleet in Hawaii then returned to Washington in 1982 to serve four years As chief of naval operations. Similarly the incumbent wee chief of the air Force. Piotrowski was commander of the 9lh air Force with Headquarters Al Shaw fab 5.c. Before gelling his fourth Star and becoming vice chief