Leadership of Space Operations Command

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SpOC emblem Space Operations Command emblem.png
SpOC emblem

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.

Contents

Space Operations Command (SpOC) was established by redesignating the Air Force Space Command as Space Operations Command, which was redesignated prior as Headquarters, United States Space Force to serve in transitional capacity as the new service's headquarters. The commander of SpOC, thus, can be traced back to 1 September 1982, when General James V. Hartinger served as the first commander of Space Command. [1]

Like any other three-star officer position in the U.S. Armed Forces, the commander of SpOC is nominated by the president of the United States and must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The current commander of SpOC is Lieutenant General David N. Miller.

List of commanders

Commander of Space Operations Command
Flag of a United States Space Force lieutenant general.svg
Flag of a Space Force lieutenant general
Lt Gen David N. Miller Jr.jpg
Incumbent
Lieutenant General David N. Miller
since 9 January 2024
United States Space Force
Reports to Chief of Space Operations
Seat Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, U.S.
PrecursorCommander, United States Space Force
Formation1 September 1982
First holder James V. Hartinger
DeputyVice Commander, Space Operations Command
Gen O'Malley (left) and Secretary Aldridge (right) looks on as Gen Hartinger signs as the first commander of Space Command, 1 September 1982 Air Force Space Command celebrates 23rd anniversary (2).jpg
Gen O'Malley (left) and Secretary Aldridge (right) looks on as Gen Hartinger signs as the first commander of Space Command, 1 September 1982
Left to right: Gen Kutyna, Gen Herres, Gen Hartinger, Maj Gen Padden, and Lt Gen Moorman, former and current Air Force Space Command commanders, gather in 1991 Former commanders of the Air Force Space Command pose for a group photograph with the current commander.jpg
Left to right: Gen Kutyna, Gen Herres, Gen Hartinger, Maj Gen Padden, and Lt Gen Moorman, former and current Air Force Space Command commanders, gather in 1991
Lt Gen Whiting, the first commander of Space Operations Command, delivers remarks during the field command's activation ceremony, 21 October 2020 Space Operations Command Stand-up ceremony (4).jpg
Lt Gen Whiting, the first commander of Space Operations Command, delivers remarks during the field command's activation ceremony, 21 October 2020
No.Commander [2] [1] Term
PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeDuration
Space Command
1
Gen James V. Hartinger.jpg
General
James V. Hartinger
(1925–2000)
1 September 198220 July 19841 year, 323 days
2
General Robert Herres, military portrait, 1984.JPEG
General
Robert T. Herres
(1932–2008)
30 July 198415 November 19851 year, 118 days
Air Force Space Command
1
General Robert Herres, military portrait, 1984.JPEG
General
Robert T. Herres
(1932–2008)
15 November 19851 October 1986320 days
2
Maj Gen Maurice C. Padden.jpg
Major General
Maurice C. Padden
(1931–2015)
1 October 198629 October 19871 year, 28 days
3
Lt Gen Donald J. Kutyna.jpg
Lieutenant General
Donald J. Kutyna
(born 1933)
29 October 198729 March 19902 years, 151 days
4
Lt Gen Thomas S. Moorman, Jr (cropped).jpg
Lieutenant General
Thomas S. Moorman Jr.
(1940–2020)
29 March 199023 March 19921 year, 360 days
5
Donald Kutyna 3.jpg
General
Donald J. Kutyna
(born 1933)
23 March 199230 June 199299 days
6
Charles Horner.jpg
General
Chuck Horner
(born 1936)
30 June 199213 September 19942 years, 106 days
7
Joseph ashy (cropped).jpg
General
Joseph W. Ashy
(born 1940)
13 September 199426 August 19961 year, 348 days
8
Howell M Estes III.jpg
General
Howell M. Estes III
(1941–2024)
26 August 199614 August 19981 year, 353 days
9
Gen Richard Myers.jpg
General
Richard Myers
(born 1942)
14 August 199822 February 20001 year, 192 days
10
Ralph E Eberhart, CINCSPACE & CINCNORAD.jpg
General
Ralph Eberhart
(born 1946)
22 February 200019 April 20022 years, 56 days
11
Lance W Lord.jpg
General
Lance W. Lord
(born 1946)
19 April 20021 April 20063 years, 347 days
Lt Gen Frank G. Klotz (1).jpg
Lieutenant General
Frank Klotz
(born 1950)
Acting
1 April 200626 June 200686 days
12
Gen Kevin P. Chilton (1).jpg
General
Kevin P. Chilton
(born 1954)
26 June 20063 October 20071 year, 99 days
Lt Gen Michael A. Hamel.jpg
Lieutenant General
Michael A. Hamel
Acting
3 October 200712 October 20079 days
13
Gen C. Robert Kehler (1).jpg
General
C. Robert Kehler
(born 1952)
12 October 20075 January 20113 years, 85 days
14
Gen William L Shelton 2012.jpg
General
William L. Shelton
(born 1954)
5 January 201115 August 20143 years, 222 days
15
Gen John E. Hyten (1).jpg
General
John E. Hyten
(born 1959)
15 August 201425 October 20162 years, 71 days
16
Gen John W. Raymond (1).jpg
General
John W. Raymond
(born 1962)
25 October 201620 December 20193 years, 56 days
United States Space Force
1
Gen John W. Raymond (3).jpg
General
John W. Raymond
(born 1962)
20 December 2019 [lower-alpha 1] 21 October 2020306 days
Space Operations Command
1
Lt Gen Stephen N. Whiting (2).jpg
Lieutenant General
Stephen Whiting
(born 1967)
21 October 20209 January 20243 years, 80 days
2
Lt Gen David N. Miller Jr.jpg
Lieutenant General
David N. Miller
(born c.1971)
9 January 2024Incumbent161 days

List of vice commanders

Gen Goldfein (left) administers the oath of office to Lt Gen Thompson (right) during the establishment of the Air Force Space Command's vice commander position, 4 April 2018 Air Force establishes Pentagon-based AFSPC vice commander position (2).jpg
Gen Goldfein (left) administers the oath of office to Lt Gen Thompson (right) during the establishment of the Air Force Space Command's vice commander position, 4 April 2018
No.Vice CommanderTermRef
PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeDuration
1
Lt Gen David D. Thompson.jpg
Lieutenant General
David D. Thompson
(born 1963)
4 April 201821 October 20202 years, 200 days [3]
2
Maj Gen John E. Shaw.jpg
Major General
John E. Shaw
(born 1968)
21 October 202016 November 202026 days-
3
Maj Gen DeAnna M. Burt (2).jpg
Major General
DeAnna Burt
(born 1969)
16 November 202022 August 20221 year, 279 days [4]
4
Maj Gen Douglas A. Schiess.jpg
Major General
Douglas Schiess
(born 1970)
22 August 20226 December 20231 year, 106 days [5]
5
Brig Gen Devin R. Pepper (2).jpg
Brigadier General
Devin Pepper
(born 1969)
6 December 202311 June 2024~188 days [6]
6
Brig Gen Chandler P. Atwood.jpg
Brigadier General
Chandler Atwood
(born 1977/1978)
11 June 2024Incumbent7 days [7]

List of deputy commanders

No.Deputy CommanderTermRef
PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeDuration
1
Maj Gen Maurice C. Padden.jpg
Major General
Maurice C. Padden
(1931–2015)
July 19851 October 1986~1 year, 78 days [8]
2
Maj Gen Ralph E. Spraker.jpg
Major General
Ralph E. Spraker
(1933–2020)
1 October 1986June 1989~2 years, 257 days [9]
3
Maj Gen G. Wesley Clark.jpg
Major General
G. Wesley Clark
(born 1932)
June 1989April 1990~304 days [10]
4
Lt Gen Jay W. Kelley.jpg
Major General
Jay W. Kelley
(born 1941)
April 1990March 1992~1 year, 335 days [11]
5
Lt Gen Thomas S. Moorman, Jr (cropped).jpg
Lieutenant General
Thomas S. Moorman Jr.
(1940–2020)
March 1992July 1994~2 years, 122 days [12]
6
Caruana pp.jpg
Lieutenant General
Patrick P. Caruana
(born 1939)
August 1994August 1997~3 years [13]
7
Lt Gen Lance W. Lord.jpg
Lieutenant General
Lance W. Lord
(born 1946)
August 1997June 1999~1 year, 304 days [13]
8
Lt Gen Donald G. Cook.jpg
Lieutenant General
Donald G. Cook
(born 1946)
July 1999June 2000~1 year [14]
9
Dekok rg1.jpg
Lieutenant General
Roger G. DeKok
(1947–2003)
June 2000April 2002~1 year, 304 days [15]
10
Lt. Gen. Robert C. Hinson.jpg
Lieutenant General
Robert C. Hinson
April 2002August 2003~1 year, 122 days [16]
11
Lt Gen Daniel P. Leaf (2).jpg
Lieutenant General
Daniel P. Leaf
(born c.1952)
August 2003September 2005~2 years, 31 days [17]
12
Lt Gen Frank G. Klotz (1).jpg
Lieutenant General
Frank Klotz
(born 1950)
October 2005August 2007~1 year, 304 days [18]
13
Maj Gen Thomas F. Deppe.jpg
Major General
Thomas F. Deppe
August 2007August 2009~2 years [19]
14
Lt. Gen. Michael J. Basla USAF.JPG
Lieutenant General
Michael J. Basla
August 2009May 2012~2 years, 274 days [20]
15
Lt Gen John E. Hyten, USAF.jpg
Lieutenant General
John E. Hyten
(born 1959)
May 2012August 2014~2 years, 92 days-
16
Maj Gen David J. Buck.jpg
Major General
David J. Buck
August 2014August 2015~1 year [21]
17
Maj Gen David D. Thompson.jpg
Major General
David D. Thompson
(born 1963)
July 2015July 2017~2 years-
18
Maj Gen Robert J. Skinner.jpg
Major General
Robert J. Skinner
July 2017July 2018~1 year [22]
19
Maj Gen John E. Shaw.jpg
Major General
John E. Shaw
(born 1968)
August 201820 November 2019~1 year, 97 days [23]
20
Maj Gen Stephen N. Whiting (2).jpg
Major General
Stephen Whiting
(born 1967)
20 November 201921 October 2020336 days [24]

List of senior enlisted leaders

No.Senior Enlisted LeaderTermRef
PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeDuration
1
CMSgt Charles P. Zimkas Jr.jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Charles P. Zimkas Jr.
1 September 1982~1984~1 year, 303 days [25]
2
CMSgt Thomas J. Echols (cropped).jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Thomas J. Echols
~1984October 1986~2 years, 107 days-
3
CMSgt John W. Wright (2).jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
John W. Wright
(1942–2019)
October 1986~1989~2 years, 258 days [26]
4
CMSgt Delamar T. Jones.jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Delamar T. Jones
~1989December 1992~3 years, 168 days-
5
CMSgt Richard G. Griffis.jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Richard G. Griffis
December 1992November 1996~3 years, 336 days [27]
6
Portrait gray.png
Chief Master Sergeant
Robert M. Clougherty
November 1996August 1998~1 year, 273 days [28]
7
CMSgt Dennis L. Fritz.jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Dennis L. Fritz
August 1998February 2000~1 year, 184 days [29]
8
CMSgt Kevin D. Estrem (1) (cropped).jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Kevin D. Estrem
February 2000June 2002~2 years, 120 days [30]
9
CMSgt Ronald G. Kriete.jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Ronald G. Kriete
June 2002August 2006~4 years, 61 days [31]
10
CMSgt Michael T. Sullivan (1).jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Michael T. Sullivan
August 200614 February 2008~1 year, 183 days [32] [33]
11
CMSgt Richard T. Small.jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Richard T. Small
14 February 2008September 2011~3 years, 212 days [34]
12
CMSgt Linus Jordan.jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Linus Jordan
September 2011May 2013~1 year, 242 days [35]
13
CMSgt Douglas M. McIntyre (130604-F-JZ002-242).jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Douglas McIntyre
May 20136 August 2015~2 years, 83 days [36] [37]
14
CMSgt Patrick F. McMahon.jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Patrick F. McMahon
6 August 2015May 2016~283 days [38]
15
Brendan I. Criswell.jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Brendan I. Criswell
July 2016November 2018~2 years, 123 days [39]
16
Roger A. Towberman (2).jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Roger A. Towberman
(born 1966/1967)
November 201821 October 2020~1 year, 341 days [40]
17
CMSgt John F. Bentivegna (2).jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
John F. Bentivegna
(born c.1976)
21 October 202030 April 20221 year, 191 days [41]
18
CMSgt Jacob C. Simmons (4).jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Jacob C. Simmons
(born c.1974)
30 April 20227 August 20231 year, 99 days [41]
19
CMSgt Caleb M. Lloyd (2).jpg
Chief Master Sergeant
Caleb M. Lloyd
(born c.1985)
7 August 2023Incumbent316 days [42]

See also

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References

Notes

  1. With the creation of the Space Force, Air Force Space Command headquarters in Colorado remained working until the stand-up of Space Operations Command, serving in transitional capacity as Headquarters, United States Space Force. [1]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 "Space Operations Command (USSF)". Afhra.af.mil.
  2. "2009 Space Almanac" (PDF). Space-library.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  3. "Air Force establishes Pentagon-based AFSPC vice commander position". Air Force Space Command (Archived).
  4. "Maj. Gen. DeAnna M. Burt". www.spaceforce.mil. Archived from the original on 7 April 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  5. "Maj. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess". www.spaceforce.mil. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  6. "Devin R. Pepper".
  7. "Chandler P. Atwood".
  8. "MAJOR GENERAL MAURICE C. PADDEN". www.af.mil.
  9. "MAJOR GENERAL RALPH E. SPRAKER". www.af.mil.
  10. "MAJOR GENERAL G. WESLEY CLARK". www.af.mil.
  11. "LIEUTENANT GENERAL JAY W. KELLEY". www.af.mil.
  12. "THOMAS S. MOORMAN JR". www.af.mil.
  13. 1 2 "LIEUTENANT GENERAL PATRICK P. CARUANA". www.af.mil.
  14. "GENERAL DONALD G. COOK". www.af.mil.
  15. "LIEUTENANT GENERAL ROGER G. DEKOK". www.af.mil.
  16. "LIEUTENANT GENERAL ROBERT C. HINSON". www.af.mil.
  17. "LIEUTENANT GENERAL DANIEL P. LEAF". www.af.mil.
  18. "LIEUTENANT GENERAL FRANK G. KLOTZ". www.af.mil.
  19. "MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS F. DEPPE". www.af.mil.
  20. "MICHAEL J. BASLA". www.af.mil.
  21. "DAVID J. BUCK". www.af.mil.
  22. "ROBERT J. SKINNER". www.af.mil.
  23. "John E. Shaw". www.spaceforce.mil.
  24. "Stephen N. Whiting". www.spaceforce.mil.
  25. "First AFSPC Command Chief honored at AF Museum". Air Force Space Command (Archived).
  26. "John Wright Obituary -". Dignity Memorial.
  27. "Chief Master Sergeant Richard G. Griffis Biography". Archived from the original on 14 February 1997.
  28. "Chief Master Sergeant Robert M. Clougherty Biography". 19 July 1997. Archived from the original on 19 July 1997.
  29. "Chief Dennis Fritz Biography". Archived from the original on 23 October 1999.
  30. "CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT KEVIN D. ESTREM".
  31. "Biographies : CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT RONALD G. KRIETE". 22 July 2006. Archived from the original on 22 July 2006.
  32. "Command chief retires after three decades of service". Air Force Space Command (Archived).
  33. "Biographies : CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT MICHAEL T. SULLIVAN". 29 January 2008. Archived from the original on 29 January 2008.
  34. "Biographies : CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT RICHARD T. SMALL". 6 September 2010. Archived from the original on 6 September 2010.
  35. "Biographies : CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT LINUS JORDAN". 17 February 2013. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013.
  36. "Be true to yourself". Air Force Space Command (Archived).
  37. "Biographies : CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT DOUGLAS L. MCINTYRE". Archived from the original on 10 May 2015.
  38. "Chief Master Sergeant Patrick F. McMahon". www.defense.gov.
  39. "CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT BRENDAN I. CRISWELL > Air Force Space Command > Biographies". Archived from the original on 9 June 2018.
  40. "CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT ROGER A. TOWBERMAN". www.afspc.af.mil.
  41. 1 2 "Chief Master Sergeant Jacob C Simmons". www.spoc.spaceforce.mil.
  42. "CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT CALEB M. LLOYD". Space Operations Command . 7 August 2023.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.