ARMED FORCES: Brass Choir

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With six months still to go before the next changeover in the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon brass choir last week was tootling up introductory choruses of When the Chiefs Come Marchin' In. Top names in the game of musical chairs to be played next August:

Air Force General Nathan F. Twining, 61, old bomber pilot, completing his first two-year term as Joint Chiefs' chairman, has turned down tempting offers from private industry, will probably be named by President Eisenhower for a second term.

Air Force General Thomas White, 57, the Joint Chiefs' newest member (appointed 1957) will stay on as Chief of Air Staff.

Army General Maxwell Taylor, 57, completing a four-year tour, as Chief of Staff, will retire. Best bet to replace Taylor: General Lyman Lemnitzer, 59, Vice Chief of Staff, like Taylor a paratrooper and holder of a lustrous field record in World War II and Korea, trusted friend of Dwight Eisenhower since serving as Ike's assistant chief of staff for the North African campaign.

Navy Admiral Arleigh Burke, 57, intends to retire after he winds up his second successful term as Chief of Naval Operations. Top candidates for his job: Vice Chief James Russell, 55, long on staff experience; Admiral Harry Felt, 56, Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific forces; Vice Admiral George Anderson, 52, who adds to heavy staff experience a friendship with the President dating from a tour of duty at Supreme Allied Headquarters in Europe.

Marine General Randolph Pate, 61, completes his commandant's tour at year's end, will probably step aside. Among the three or four three-star generals in line for the post: Nate Twining's Annapolis-educated brother Merrill, 56, brilliant tactician, now Commandant of the Marine Corps Schools at Quantico, Va.