Director of Staff of the United States Space Force | |
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United States Space Force | |
Member of | Office of the Chief of Space Operations |
Reports to | Chief of Space Operations |
Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
Constituting instrument | 10 U.S.C. § 9083 |
First holder | Nina Armagno |
Deputy | Deputy Director of Staff |
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 director of staff is responsible for the supervision of key enterprise matters related to integrating and synchronizing policies, plans, positions, procedures, and cross-functional issues for the Office of the Chief of Space Operations (informally referred to as the "Space Staff"), interacting with Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, Department of State, United States Congress, and other U.S. government and state agencies on correspondence and tasking issues. The director of staff is responsible for the planning, coordinating, executing, and supervising of key forums, and ensuring the efficient execution of the Space Staff responsibilities. Additionally, the director of staff is responsible for administrative functions, and budget and execution of the Space Staff Program Element. [1]
The organizational structure of the Space Force headquarters was first proposed in February 2020 with a director of staff held by a lieutenant general. [2] By July 2020, Major General B. Chance Saltzman was performing the duties in an acting capacity. [3] On July 29, 2020, then-Major General Nina Armagno was nominated for the director of staff position. [4] She was promoted on August 17, 2020, then becoming the inaugural director of staff of the U.S. Space Force. [5]
On July 7, 2023, Armagno retired from the Space Force [6] turning the position over to Major General Steven P. Whitney, making the three-star position a two-star position. [7] The three-star billet for the director of staff was transferred to the commander of U.S Space Forces Space, following the planned elevation of Space Operations Command West as a component field command. [8]
No. | Director of Staff | Term | Chief of Space Operations | Ref. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | |||
– | Clinton Crosier (born c. 1965) Acting | Major General~20 December 2019 | June 2020 | ~178 days | John W. Raymond | [3] | |
– | B. Chance Saltzman (born 1969) Acting | Major GeneralJune 2020 | 7 August 2020 | ~53 days | John W. Raymond | [3] | |
1 | Nina Armagno (born 1966) | Lieutenant General7 August 2020 | 7 July 2023 | 2 years, 334 days | John W. Raymond B. Chance Saltzman | [5] [10] | |
2 | Steven P. Whitney (born 1970) | Major General7 July 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 10 days | B. Chance Saltzman | [11] |
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, which advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council on military matters. The composition of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is defined by statute and consists of a chairman (CJCS), a vice chairman (VJCS), the chiefs of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and the chief of the National Guard Bureau. Each of the individual service chiefs, outside their JCS obligations, works directly under the secretaries of their respective military departments, e.g. the secretary of the Army, the secretary of the Navy, and the secretary of the Air Force.
Claude Robert "Bob" Kehler, is a retired United States Air Force general who served as Commander, United States Strategic Command from January 28, 2011, to November 15, 2013. He previously served as Commander, Air Force Space Command from October 12, 2007, to January 5, 2011. As a commander of the Air Force Space Command, he was responsible for the development, acquisition and operation of the Air Force's space and missile systems. He oversaw a global network of satellite command and control, communications, missile warning and launch facilities, and ensured the combat readiness of America's intercontinental ballistic missile force. He led more than 39,700 space professionals in providing combat forces and capabilities to North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Strategic Command. He was also responsible for the plans and operations for all U.S. forces conducting strategic deterrence and Department of Defense space and cyberspace operations. He officially retired from the Air Force on January 1, 2014, after nearly 39 years of service.
Victor Eugene "Gene" Renuart Jr. is a retired United States Air Force four-star general. His last military assignment was as the commander of United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command from March 23, 2007, to May 19, 2010. Prior to that, he served as director of strategic plans and policy, the Joint Staff. Renuart retired from the Air Force on July 1, 2010, after over 39 years of service.
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Nina Marion Armagno is a retired United States Space Force lieutenant general who served as the first director of staff of the United States Space Force from 2020 to 2023. She is the service's first female general officer and the only officer to have commanded both the 30th Space Wing and the 45th Space Wing. Before transferring to the Space Force, she was a major general in the United States Air Force, where she served for over 32 years.
The chief of space operations (CSO) is the service chief of the United States Space Force. The CSO is the principal military adviser to the secretary of the Air Force for Space Force operations and, as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a military adviser to the National Security Council, the secretary of defense, and the president. The CSO is a statutory office held by a Space Force general, who is typically the highest-ranking officer on active duty in the Space Force.
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.
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.
William J. Liquori Jr. is a retired United States Space Force lieutenant general who has served as the deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs, requirements, and analysis from 2020 to 2022. A career space operator, he has operational experiences in support of Operation Southern Watch and Operation Enduring Freedom.
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