The Order of the Sword is an honor awarded within the United States Air Force. It is a special program where noncommisioned officers of a command recognize individuals they hold in high esteem and wish to honor. Those selected for induction are usually honored during a formal ceremony at a dining-in. The honor can be awarded at the unit level or at the Air Force level.
Charles R. Holland is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the commander of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. As commander, he was responsible for all special operations forces across every branch in the U.S. Armed Forces. Currently, Holland is the first and the only member of the U.S. Air Force to serve as commander of USSOCOM.
The vice chief of staff of the Air Force (VCSAF) is the second-highest-ranking military officer in the United States Air Force. If the chief of staff of the Air Force (CSAF) is absent or is unable to perform his duties, then the VCSAF assumes the duties and responsibilities of the CSAF. The VCSAF may also perform other duties that the secretary of defense (SECDEF), the secretary of the Air Force (SECAF) or the CSAF assigns to him. The VCSAF is appointed by the president of the United States and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. By statute, the VCSAF is appointed as a four-star general.
Lieutenant General Donald C. Wurster is a retired United States Air Force officer who served as Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The command is a major command of the United States Air Force and the Air Force component of United States Special Operations Command. AFSOC provides Air Force Special Operations Forces for worldwide deployment and assignment to unified combatant commanders. The command has approximately 12,900 active-duty, Reserve, Air National Guard and civilian professionals.
Lieutenant General Eric E. Fiel is a retired United States Air Force officer who served as commander of Air Force Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014. The command is the Air Force component of United States Special Operations Command. AFSOC provides Air Force special operations forces for worldwide deployment and assignment to unified combatant commanders. The command has approximately 16,000 active-duty, Reserve, Air National Guard and civilian professionals.
John Earl Hyten is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the 11th vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2019 to 2021. A career space operations and acquisitions officer, he commanded the United States Strategic Command from 2016 to 2019 and the Air Force Space Command from 2014 to 2016.
James Charles McConville is a retired United States Army general who served as the 40th chief of staff of the Army from 2019 to 2023. He previously served as the 36th vice chief of staff of the Army from 2017 to 2019. Prior to that, he served as the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (G1).
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.
Kevin Bruce Schneider is a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force who serves as Director of Staff of the United States Air Force since September 8, 2021. He previously served as the commander of the United States Forces Japan and the Fifth Air Force at Yokota Air Base.
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.
Matthew Wolfe Davidson is a United States Air Force major general who serves as the deputy director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency since July 13, 2023. He most recently served as the deputy commander of the Air Force Special Operations Command. He also served as the director for operations of the Air Force Special Operations Command, as deputy commander of the Special Operations Joint Task Force – Afghanistan, and once served as deputy commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command of the United States Space Command and vice commander of the Space Operations Command, United States Space Force. He was also previously assigned as executive officer to the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from June 2016 to April 2018. He was replaced by Michael E. Conley in June 2015.
Stephen Newman Whiting is a United States Space Force lieutenant general who serves as the first and current commander of Space Operations Command. He previously served as the deputy commander of Air Force Space Command.
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.
The United States Space Force is organized by different units: the Space Staff, the field commands, and the space deltas.
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.
