| Post: | Chief |
| Body: | Army |
| Insignia: | Crest of the New Zealand Army.svg |
| Incumbent: | Rose King |
| Incumbentsince: | 27 August 2024 |
| Style: | Major General |
| Abbreviation: | CA |
| Member Of: | New Zealand Defence Force |
| Reports To: | Chief of Defence Force |
| Termlength: | Three years, |
| Termlength Qualified: | renewable |
| Formation: | 7 December 1910 |
| First: | Maj Gen Sir Alexander Godley |
Chief of Army (CA) is the effective commander of the New Zealand Army, responsible to the Chief of Defence Force (CDF) for raising, training and sustaining those forces necessary to meet agreed government outputs. The CA acts as principal advisor to the CDF on Army matters, though for operations the Army's combat units fall under the command of the Land Component Commander, Joint Forces New Zealand. The rank associated with the position is major general, and CAs are generally appointed on a three-year term.[1]
The position was originally formed as Commandant and General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces in 1910, changing to Chief of the General Staff in 1937 and, finally, CA in 2002.[2] Major General Rose King, the current CA, has been in the post since 27 August 2024. King is the first woman to serve in the role.[3]
The below indicated * (asterisk) indicates that the individual was subsequently promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Chief of Defence Force.
The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Chief of Army or its preceding positions, with rank and honours as at the completion of the individual's term.[2]
| Commandant and General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Major General Sir Alexander Godley | 7 December 1910 | 10 September 1914 | ||
| 2 | Major General Sir Alfred Robin | 11 September 1914 | 9 December 1919 | ||
| 3 | Major General Sir Edward Chaytor | 10 December 1919 | 31 April 1924 | ||
| 4 | Major General Charles Melvill | 1 May 1924 | 6 December 1925 | ||
| 5 | Major General Robert Young | 7 December 1925 | 31 March 1931 | ||
| 6 | Major General Sir William Sinclair-Burgess | 1 April 1931 | 31 March 1937 | ||
| Chief of the General Staff | |||||
| 1 | Major General Sir John Duigan | 1 April 1937 | 31 May 1941 | ||
| 2 | Lieutenant General Sir Edward Puttick | 1 August 1941 | 31 December 1945 | ||
| 3 | Major General Sir Norman Weir | 1 January 1946 | 31 March 1949 | ||
| 4 | Major General Keith Stewart | 1 April 1949 | 31 March 1952 | ||
| 5 | Major General William Gentry | 1 April 1952 | 14 August 1955 | ||
| 6 | Major General Stephen Weir | 15 August 1955 | 30 August 1960 | ||
| 7 | Major General Leonard Thornton* | 1 September 1960 | 31 March 1965 | ||
| 8 | Major General Walter McKinnon | 1 April 1965 | 31 March 1967 | ||
| 9 | Major General Robert Dawson | 1 April 1967 | 31 March 1970 | ||
| 10 | Major General Richard Webb* | 1 April 1970 | 28 September 1971 | ||
| 11 | Major General Les Pearce | 29 September 1971 | 30 September 1973 | ||
| 12 | Major General Robin Holloway | 1 October 1973 | 14 November 1976 | ||
| 13 | Major General Ronald Hassett | 15 November 1976 | 15 November 1978 | ||
| 14 | Major General Brian Poananga | 16 November 1978 | 15 November 1981 | ||
| 15 | Major General Rob Williams | 16 November 1981 | 11 December 1984 | ||
| 16 | Major General John Mace* | 12 December 1984 | 30 November 1987 | ||
| 17 | Major General Don McIver | 1 December 1987 | 28 February 1989 | ||
| 18 | Major General Bruce Meldrum | 1 March 1989 | 29 February 1992 | ||
| 19 | Major General Anthony Birks | 1 March 1992 | 24 February 1995 | ||
| 20 | Major General Piers Reid | 25 February 1995 | 25 February 1998 | ||
| 21 | Major General Maurice Dodson | 26 February 1998 | February 2002 | ||
| 22 | Major General Jerry Mateparae | February 2002 | mid-2002 | ||
| Chief of Army | |||||
| 1 | Major General Jerry Mateparae* | mid-2002 | 30 April 2006 | ||
| 2 | Major General Lou Gardiner | 1 May 2006 | 30 April 2009 | ||
| 3 | Major General Rhys Jones* | 1 May 2009 | 23 January 2011 | ||
| 4 | Major General Tim Keating* | February 2011 | December 2012 | ||
| 5 | Major General Dave Gawn | 25 February 2013 | 9 September 2015 | ||
| 6 | Major General Peter Kelly | 10 September 2015 | 31 August 2018 | ||
| 7 | Major General John Boswell | 1 September 2018 | 26 August 2024 | ||
| 8 | Major General Rose King | 27 August 2024 | Incumbent | ||