This is a list of active duty United States Space Force general officers. There are 24 active duty general officers in the U.S. Space Force: three generals, five lieutenant generals, eight major generals, and eight brigadier generals. All of them transferred from the United States Air Force. Space Force general officers, like in other U.S. armed services, are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate.
No. | Portrait | Name | Date of rank | Current position | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | B. Chance Saltzman | 2 November 2022 | Chief of Space Operations | [1] | |
2 | Michael Guetlein | 21 December 2023 | Vice Chief of Space Operations | [2] | |
3 | Stephen Whiting | 10 January 2024 | Commander, United States Space Command | [3] |
No. | Portrait | Name | Date of rank | Current position | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Philip Garrant | 2 August 2022 | Commander, Space Systems Command | [4] | |
2 | DeAnna Burt | 1 December 2022 | Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear | [5] | |
3 | Douglas Schiess | 6 December 2023 | Commander, United States Space Forces – Space and Combined Joint Space Force Component Commander, United States Space Command | [6] | |
4 | Shawn Bratton | 22 December 2023 | Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements | [7] | |
5 | David N. Miller | 9 January 2024 | Commander, Space Operations Command | [8] |
No. | Portrait | Name | Date of rank | Current position | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Christopher Povak | 29 September 2022 | Deputy Director, National Reconnaissance Office and Commander, Space Force Element to the National Reconnaissance Office | [9] | |
2 | Steven P. Whitney | 29 September 2022 | Director of Staff | [10] | |
3 | Gregory Gagnon | 29 September 2022 | Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Intelligence | [11] | |
4 | Stephen G. Purdy | 1 December 2022 | Military Deputy, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration | [12] | |
5 | D. Jason Cothern | 6 December 2023 | Program Executive for Ground-Based Weapon Systems, Missile Defense Agency | [13] | |
6 | Troy Endicott | 6 December 2023 | Director of Global Space Operations, United States Space Command | [14] | |
7 | Timothy Sejba | 6 December 2023 | Commander, Space Training and Readiness Command | [15] | |
8 | Dennis Bythewood | 3 May 2024 | Deputy Commander, United States Space Forces – Space | [16] |
No. | Portrait | Name | Date of rank | Current position | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | James E. Smith | 3 July 2022 | Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear | [17] | |
2 | Devin Pepper | 2 September 2022 | Deputy Commanding General (Operations), Space Operations Command | [18] | |
3 | Anthony Mastalir | 1 October 2022 | Commander, United States Space Forces – Indo-Pacific | [19] | |
4 | Brian Sidari | 2 October 2022 | Director, Intelligence, United States Space Command | [20] | |
5 | Jacob Middleton Jr. | 23 December 2022 | Deputy Director for Operations, Joint Staff | [21] | |
6 | Robert Hutt | 8 July 2023 | Director, Plans and Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Plans, Programs, Requirements, and Analysis | [22] | |
7 | Kristin Panzenhagen | 16 December 2023 | PEO for Assured Access to Space, Director of Launch and Range Operations, Space Systems Command, Commander, Space Launch Delta 45, and Director, Eastern Range | [23] | |
8 | Matthew Cantore | 1 February 2024 | Deputy Commander, Space Training and Readiness Command | [24] |
Portrait | Name | Current position | New assignment | Status | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
For Major General | |||||
Brigadier General James E. Smith | Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear | — | Confirmed by the Senate, 2 May 2024 | [25] | |
For Brigadier General | |||||
Colonel Chandler Atwood | Director of Intelligence, Space Operations Command | — | Confirmed by the Senate, 31 January 2024 | [26] [27] | |
Colonel Brian Denaro | Senior Military Assistant, Under Secretary of the Air Force | — | Confirmed by the Senate, 31 January 2024 | [26] [27] | |
Colonel Robert Schreiner | Commander, Space Delta 20 and Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado | — | Confirmed by the Senate, 31 January 2024 | [26] [27] | |
Colonel Shay Warakomski | Senior Cyber Officer, United States Space Force | — | Confirmed by the Senate, 31 January 2024 | [26] [27] |
Before the establishment of the Space Force, the Space Force Planning Task Force considered two different scenarios or models for the number of general officers in the new service: the lean and demanding models. The lean Space Force model called for 41 general officers with three generals, six lieutenant generals, 12 major generals, and 20 brigadier generals. The demanding Space Force model, on the other hand, has 45 general officers with three generals, six lieutenant generals, 13 major generals, and 23 brigadier generals. [28]
By August 2020, General John W. Raymond noted that there would only be 21 general officers in the Space Force. [29] In 2022, this was codified by the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, specifying the number of statutory billets in each rank: two generals, five lieutenant generals, six major generals, and eight brigadier generals. It also required that a minimum of six Space Force general officers be assigned at joint duty assignments. [30] [31]
Asked by the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services whether the 21 general officer billets in the Space Force are sufficient, Lieutenant General B. Chance Saltzman, in his written statement in 2022, responded that it is not sustainable. He believes that it is not sufficient to sustain the two four-star posts in the service and effectively represent the Space Force in the Joint Staff and the unified combatant commands. [32] He hopes to increase the number of general officers to 36: two generals, six lieutenant generals, 12 major generals, and 16 brigadier generals. [33]
The Space Force was established by redesignating the United States Air Force's Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) as the United States Space Force on 20 December 2019. Thus, the very first general officers in the Space Force were general officers in the Air Force's space operations and space acquisitions career fields. Immediately after the establishment of the Space Force, then-AFSPC commander, General John W. Raymond, was appointed as the first chief of space operations. He then became the first member of the new service, and hence the very first general officer in the Space Force. [35]
By July 2020, four U.S. Air Force major generals were nominated for transfer to the Space Force and promotion to lieutenant generals. [36] On 14 August 2020, then-Major General B. Chance Saltzman transferred to the Space Force and was promoted to lieutenant general, becoming the service's lieutenant general and the first general officer promoted in the new service. [37] Three days later, then-Major General Nina Armagno also transferred to the Space Force and was promoted to lieutenant general, becoming the service's first female general officer. [38]
On 1 October 2020, then-U.S. Air Force lieutenant general David D. Thompson transferred into the Space Force and was promoted to general, becoming the first to hold the office of vice chief of space operations. [39]
In April 2021, three U.S. Air Force major generals and six brigadier generals were nominated for transfer into the Space Force, all of them career space professionals working either space operations or space acquisitions. [40] [41] On May 7, 2021, Major General DeAnna Burt transferred to the Space Force, becoming the first major general of the service. [42]
On 19 October 2021, U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Gregory Gagnon transferred into the Space Force after volunteering. A career intelligence and cyber officer, he is the first general officer of the service who is a non-career space professional, or not coming from either space operations or space acquisitions career fields. [43]
The Space Force had transferred 17 general officers from the Air Force. By October 2021, after the transfers from the Air Force, the Space Force had 21 general officers: two generals, six lieutenant generals, three major generals, and 10 brigadier generals. This included the first officers promoted into general officer ranks since the creation of the service. In January 2021, four colonels were nominated for promotion to brigadier general, becoming the first Space Force general officers who were promoted directly as brigadier generals in the service. [44]
In 2022, the number of major generals in the Space Force doubled from three to seven. Five colonels were nominated for promotion to brigadier general, bringing the total number of general officers to 24. [45]
The chief of staff of the Air Force is the service chief of the United States Air Force. They are the principal military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force on matter pertaining to the Air Force. They are a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and thereby a military adviser to the National Security Council, the secretary of defense, and the President. The chief of staff is typically the highest-ranking officer on active duty in the Air Force, unless the chairman and/or the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are Air Force officers.
David Dean Thompson is a retired United States Space Force general who served as the first vice chief of space operations from 2020 to 2023. He served as the vice commander of the Air Force Space Command from 2018 to 2020.
John Edwin Shaw is a retired United States Space Force lieutenant general who last served as the deputy commander of the United States Space Command from 2020 to 2023. He previously served as commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command and deputy commander of Space Operations Command.
Bradley Chance Saltzman is a United States Space Force general who is the second and current chief of space operations. He served as the deputy chief of space operations for operations, cyber, and nuclear from 2020 to 2022. He is the first lieutenant general and the first general officer promoted into the Space Force.
Anthony Joseph Mastalir is a United States Space Force brigadier general who has served as the commander of the United States Space Forces Indo-Pacific since 2022. He previously served as commander of Space Launch Delta 30 from 2019 to 2021.
DeAnna Marie Burt is a United States Space Force lieutenant general who has served as the deputy chief of space operations for operations, cyber, and nuclear since 2022. She is the first female major general and second female general officer in the Space Force.
Space Base Delta 2 is a unit in the United States Space Force. It is assigned to Space Operations Command and headquartered at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, United States.
James Earl Smith is a United States Space Force brigadier general who serves as the assistant deputy chief of space operations for operations, cyber, and nuclear. He previously served as the deputy United States military representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He was previously the commander of the 50th Space Wing before it was inactivated and replaced by the Peterson-Schriever Garrison. He was also nominated for transfer to the U.S. Space Force and promotion to brigadier general.
The vice chief of space operations (VCSO) is an office held by a four-star general in the United States Space Force. The vice chief directly supports the Chief of Space Operations (CSO) by serving as a member of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) and also operates with the full authority of the chief of space operations during the CSO's absence. The VCSO is nominated for appointment by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The VCSO is the second-highest position in the U.S. Space Force, equivalent to other services' vice chief positions.
Tony D. Bauernfeind is a United States Air Force lieutenant general who serves as commander of the Air Force Special Operations Command since December 9, 2022. He most recently served as vice commander of the United States Special Operations Command from 2020 to 2022; as vice commander, Bauernfeind was responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing actions with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the services and other government agencies in the national capital region on behalf of the commander of United States Special Operations Command. He previously served as Special Operations Command's chief of staff and as commander of Special Operations Command Korea.
David N. Miller Jr. is a United States Space Force lieutenant general who has served as the commander of Space Operations Command. He previously served as the director of operations, training, and force development of the United States Space Command.
Michael Anthony Guetlein is a United States Space Force general who serves as the second vice chief of space operations. He recently served as the first commander of Space Systems Command from 2021 to 2024. He previously served as the deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office from 2019 to 2021.
Philip Alan Garrant is a United States Space Force lieutenant general who serves as the second commander of Space Systems Command. He previously served as the deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs, and requirements.
Timothy Alan Sejba is a United States Space Force major general who serves as the commander of Space Training and Readiness Command. He previously served as the program executive officer for both the Space Domain Awareness and Combat Power (SDACP); and Battle Management, Command, Control, and Communications (BMC3) directorates. He has also served as acting director of the Space Rapid Capabilities Office from 2018 to 2019.
James A. Jacobson is a retired United States Air Force lieutenant general who last served as the deputy commander of the Pacific Air Forces from 2021 to 2024. He most recently served as the director of training and readiness of the U.S. Air Force. Previously, he was the commander of the Air Force District of Washington.
The director of staff of the United States Space Force (SF/DS) is a senior leadership position in the United States Space Force held by a major general. The director of staff reports to the chief of space operations (CSO) and has overall responsibility for providing executive staff to the CSO, vice chief of space operations, and chief master sergeant of the Space Force.
The commander of Space Operations Command is a lieutenant general who leads the field command that provide space forces to the United States Space Command and supports other unified combatant commands. A senior leader in the Space Force, it is only one of three field commanders and, of which, only one of two held by a lieutenant general.
Robert John Hutt is a United States Space Force brigadier general who commanded the 460th Operations Group from 2018 to 2020. He now serves as the director of plans and programs of the Space Force.