Christopher Povak

Christopher Povak
Christopher Povak
	Official portrait, 2023
Born	November 26, 1970 (age 53); Connecticut, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Air Force United States Space Force ;
Years of service	1992–2021 (Air Force) 2021–present (Space Force);
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Space Force Element to the National Reconnaissance Office Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado ; Air Force Element, RAF Menwith Hill ; Operations Division 7;
Awards	Defense Superior Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit ;
Alma mater	Clarkson University (BS) Colorado Technical University (MS);

Last updated April 10, 2024

Christopher Stephen Povak^[1] (born November 26, 1970)^[1] is a United States Space Force major general who serves as the deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office and commander of the Space Force Element to the National Reconnaissance Office. He previously served as the deputy director of the Space Warfighting Analysis Center.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Povak received his commission from Clarkson University in 1992. He has extensive experience in satellite operations, engineering, and acquisitions with the Air Force Space Command and National Reconnaissance Office. He has commanded NRO's Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado, Air Force Element at RAF Menwith Hill, and Operations Division 7. He has also served as a military legislative advisor to Senator Joseph I. Lieberman.^[5]

In 2021, Povak transferred to the Space Force. A year later, he was promoted to major general. As deputy director of the NRO, he assists the director in managing the strategic and tactical priorities of the NRO. He also leads the military personnel assigned to NRO, manages the associated service resources, and serves as senior advisor to the director on all military matters.^[5]

Education

1992 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, N.Y.
1997 Undergraduate Space and Missile Training, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
1998 Master of Science, Electrical Engineering, Colorado Technical University, Colo.
1999 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2003 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2005 Master of Arts, Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Senior Executive Fellowship, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2012 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2012 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

Military career

In September 2022, Povak was nominated for promotion to major general.^[6]

Assignments

1. March 1993–July 1996, Air Force Satellite Control Network Capacity Engineer, 50th Space Wing Plans, Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.
2. August 1996–August 1997, Flight Commander, Operating Division 4/DC, Onizuka Air Force Station, Calif.
3. September 1997–May 2000, Chief, Space Systems Engineering, Operating Division 4/DC, Onizuka AFS, Calif.
4. June 2000–May 2002, Director of Operations, Air Force Operations Element, Washington, D.C.
5. June 2002–August 2003, Director of Engineering, Air Force Operations Element, Washington, D.C.
6. September 2003–July 2004, Congressional Fellow, Office of Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, Washington, D.C.
7. August 2004–June 2005, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 2005–July 2006, Chief, Space Programs Planning, Programming, and Budgeting, Directorate of Space Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
9. August 2006–July 2007, Chief, Congressional and Media Affairs Branch, Directorate of Space Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10. August 2007–June 2008, Program Element Monitor, Transformational Satellite Communications, Directorate of Space Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. July 2008–June 2010, Commander, Operations Division 7 and Deputy Chief Overhead Collection Management Center, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
12. July 2010–July 2011, Executive Officer to the Deputy Director, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.
13. August 2011–June 2012, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D. C.
14. July 2012–July 2015, Commander, Air Force Element, RAF Menwith Hill, United Kingdom
15. August 2015–May 2016, Deputy Director, Mission Operations Directorate, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.
16. June 2016–August 2019, Commander, Aerospace Data Facility Colorado, Buckley AFB, Colo.
17. June 2016–August 2019, Commander, Air Force Element Space Operations Wing, Buckley AFB, Colo. (December 2018–June 2019, Acting Commander, Air Force Element, NRO, Chantilly, Va.)
18. September 2019 – July 2021, Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force Space Defense, Schriever AFB, Colo
19. July 2021 – September 2022, Deputy Director, Space Warfighting Analysis Center, Washington D.C.
20. September 2022- present, Deputy Director and Space Force Element Commander, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.

Awards and decorations

Povak is the recipient of the following awards:^[5]

	Command Space Operations Badge
	Air Force Master Acquisition and Financial Management Badge
	Space Staff Badge
	Air Staff Badge

	Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Legion of Merit
	Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Meritorious Service Medal
	Joint Service Commendation Medal
	Air Force Commendation Medal
	Joint Service Achievement Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award with one bronze oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
	Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
	National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
	Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal with one bronze service star
	Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
	Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and one bronze oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
	Air Force Training Ribbon

Dates of promotion


Rank	Branch	Date^[5]
Second Lieutenant	Air Force	May 15, 1992
First Lieutenant		October 15, 1994
Captain		October 15, 1996
Major		April 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel		December 1, 2006
Colonel		May 1, 2012
Brigadier General		March 2, 2019
Brigadier General	Space Force	~April 29, 2021
Major General	Space Force	September 29, 2022

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roosevelt Mercer Jr.</span> United States Air Force general

Retired Maj. Gen. Roosevelt Mercer Jr., SES, is the director of the Interagency Planning Office (IPO) for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) at the Federal Aviation Administration where he provides high-level leadership for interagency and international collaboration related to NextGen. He executes the collaborative processes needed to ensure efficient coordination among all federal partners whose decisions impact NextGen. The federal partner agencies include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Commerce (DOC), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) as an ex officio participant. Mr. Mercer is charged with providing executive direction to a dynamic multi-agency and international partnering organization focused on future NextGen technology, policy, and collaborative activities.

General William M. Fraser III is a retired United States Air Force officer who served as Commander, United States Transportation Command. He previously served as Commander, Air Combat Command from September 10, 2009 to September 30, 2011, the 34th Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force from 9 October 2008 to 27 August 2009, and as Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from May 2006 to 8 October 2008. As the Assistant to the CJCS, Fraser oversaw matters requiring close personal control by the Chairman, with particular focus on international relations and politico-military concerns. As commander of United States Transportation Command, Fraser was in charge of managing all global air, land and sea transportation. He retired on May 5, 2014.

Herbert Jay "Hawk" Carlisle is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who last served as the commander of Air Combat Command, at Langley Field, Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia. He also previously served as the commander of Pacific Air Forces while concurrently serving as air component commander for United States Pacific Command and executive director of Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff, Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii. He officially retired from the Air Force on May 1, 2017, with 39 years of service.

James Michael Holmes is a retired United States Air Force general. He was the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements at Headquarters United States Air Force in Washington, D.C., before he became the commander of Air Combat Command on March 10, 2017. He was succeeded by Mark D. Kelly and retired effective 1 October 2020.

Burke Edwin Wilson is a retired United States Air Force two-star general who served as Commander, 24th Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas from 2014 to 2016.

Joseph Thomas Guastella Jr. is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force who served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the United States Air Force. He was commissioned upon his graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in 1987.

Donna D. Shipton is a United States Air Force lieutenant general who serves as commander of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. The center is responsible for total life cycle management for aircraft, engines, munitions, electronic, computer, network, cyber and agile combat support systems. The center employs more than 28,000 people and has a budget of over $300 billion. Previously she served as military deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.

John Ferdinand "JT" Thompson is a retired lieutenant general in the United States Air Force who last served as the commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center from May 2017 to July 2021. He entered the United States Air Force in 1984 as a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy.

Donald Jason Cothern is a United States Space Force major general who serves as the program executive for ground-based weapon systems at the Missile Defense Agency. He previously served as the deputy commander of the Space Systems Command. He transferred to the Space Force from the United States Air Force in May 2021.

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.

Casey Michael Beard is a United States Space Force colonel who served as the first commander of Space Delta 9 from 2020 to 2022. In 2019, Beard was nominated for transfer to the U.S. Space Force from the U.S. Air Force. His previous assignment was as the deputy director of the Space Strategy and Plans Directorate in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy, Pentagon, Washington D.C. He was the team leader who drafted the U.S. Space Force's first service doctrine.

Stephen G. Purdy Jr. is a United States Space Force major general who serves as the military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration. He previously served as commander of Space Launch Delta 45, program executive officer for assured access to space, director of the Eastern Range, and director of launch and range operations of Space Systems Command.

Steven P. Whitney is a United States Space Force major general who serves as the director of staff of the United States Space Force. He previously served as the military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration from 2021 to 2023.

Todd R. Moore is a United States Space Force brigadier general who is the deputy commander of Space Training and Readiness Command. He previously served as inspector general of Space Operations Command.

Devin Ruben Pepper is a United States Space Force brigadier general who served as commander of Buckley Garrison, 460th Space Wing, and the 21st Operations Group. He is the first African American general officer in the Space Force and the first one to have enlisted before commissioning as an officer.

Dennis O. Bythewood is a United States Space Force brigadier general who serves the deputy commander of the United States Space Forces – Space. He previously served as the commander of Joint Task Force–Space Defense and deputy commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command.

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.

Brigadier General Allen J. Jamerson is a retired United States Air Force officer who last served as the Director of United States Air Force Security Forces from July 2012 to October 2016.

Rodney D. Lewis is a retired United States Air Force major general who last served as the deputy director for force protection of the Joint Staff and the Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Organization. He previously served as the Director of Strategy, Posture, and Assessments of the Air Force.

Chandler Parrish Atwood is a United States Space Force colonel who served as the first commander of Space Delta 7 from 2020 to 2022. He now serves as the director of intelligence of Space Operations Command. In 2024, he was nominated for promotion to brigadier general.

References

1 2 "Persons born on 26 November 1970, EDITH V. MICKEL to JAMES COREY SIMPSON".
↑ "General Officer Assignments". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
↑ "General Officer Announcements". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
↑ "ADF-Colorado hails Middleton, farewells Brig.Gen. Povak". National Reconnaissance Office.
1 2 3 4 "Major General Christopher S. Povak". United States Space Force . October 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
↑ "PN2514 — Space Force, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". United States Congress . September 6, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .

Military offices
Preceded by ???	Commander of the Air Force Element at RAF Menwith Hill 2013–2015	Succeeded by Todd R. Moore
Preceded by Daniel D. Wright III	Commander of Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado 2016–2019	Succeeded by Jacob Middleton Jr.
Preceded by Mark Baird	Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office Acting 2018–2019	Succeeded by Michael Guetlein
New office	Deputy Commander of Joint Task Force–Space Defense 2019–2021	Succeeded by Dennis Bythewood
New office	Deputy Director of the Space Warfighting Analysis Center 2021–2022	Succeeded by Russell E. Partch
Preceded by Donna D. Shipton	Deputy Director of and Commander of the Space Force Element to the National Reconnaissance Office 2022–present	Incumbent

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[sortedbybirthdate.com-1] 1 2 "Persons born on 26 November 1970, EDITH V. MICKEL to JAMES COREY SIMPSON".

[2] "General Officer Assignments". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

[3] "General Officer Announcements". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

[4] "ADF-Colorado hails Middleton, farewells Brig.Gen. Povak". National Reconnaissance Office.

[bio-5] 1 2 3 4 "Major General Christopher S. Povak". United States Space Force . October 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024.

[Sep6-6] "PN2514 — Space Force, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". United States Congress . September 6, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

Christopher Povak
Official portrait, 2023
Born	(1970-11-26) November 26, 1970 (age 53) Connecticut, U.S.
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Air Force United States Space Force
Years of service	1992–2021 (Air Force) 2021–present (Space Force)
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Space Force Element to the National Reconnaissance Office Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado Air Force Element, RAF Menwith Hill Operations Division 7
Awards	Defense Superior Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit
Alma mater	Clarkson University (BS) Colorado Technical University (MS)