Chief of staff was a title given to a senior member of a service organization or agency. This individual was usually responsible for overseeing the various branches of the service.
In 2293, General Chang was Chancellor Gorkon's chief of staff. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
In 2365, Elizabeth Vallis served as Prime Minister Wilson Granger's chief of staff at the Mariposa colony. (TNG: "Up The Long Ladder")
In 2366, Ki Mendrossen served as Ambassador Sarek's personal chief of staff. (TNG: "Sarek")
Starfleet chiefs of staff[]
The chief of staff had an office at Starfleet Command's Fleet Operations Center, San Francisco, Sol Sector. (ENT: "Demons", directories; VOY: "Non Sequitur", set artwork)
In 2372, Weyoun made a proposal to Captain Benjamin Sisko that the Dominion would make him absolute ruler of the Federation, with "no President or Starfleet chief of staff." (DS9: "To the Death")
In 2401, the dedication plaque of the USS Stargazer listed seven chiefs of staff. (PIC: "The Star Gazer")
The following individuals served as Starfleet chief of staff:
- E.W. Roddenberry – 2155
- Admiral Jonathan Archer – 2169
- R. Roddenberry – 23rd century
- R. Roddenberry – 23rd century, mirror universe
- T. Roth – 23rd century
- T. Roth – 23rd century, mirror universe
- Fleet Admiral Bob (last name unknown) – 2287
- Admiral Les Landau – 24th century
- Admiral Gene Roddenberry – 2363 – 2401
- Eugene Roddenberry (2401)
- Trevor Roth (2401)
- David Stapf (2401)
- Kevin Berg (2401)
- Jason Zimmerman (2401)
- Brian Tatosky (2401)
The "staff" Chiefs of staff headed might be the Starfleet General Staff mentioned in the script of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan but later cut.
In an early written version of "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", the heads of the various departments on board the USS Enterprise were referred to as "Chiefs of Staff". However, Kellam de Forest, in a series of research notes (dated 11 May 1966), suggested changing this reference to "section chiefs" because "Chiefs of Staff" seemed too militaristic, de Forest commenting, "'Chiefs of Staff' implies head of the Army, Navy, and Air Force."
In the script of "Apocalypse Rising", the changeling impersonating General Martok is described as impersonating Chancellor Gowron's military Chief of Staff.