The chief of staff of the Air Force is a statutory office held by a general in the United States Air Force, and as such is the principal military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force on matter pertaining to the Air Force; and is in a separate capacity, 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.
Charles Quinton Brown Jr. is a United States Air Force general who has served as the 21st chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since October 1, 2023. He most recently served as the 22nd chief of staff of the Air Force from 2020 to 2023.
John William Raymond is a retired United States Space Force general who served as the first chief of space operations from 2019 to 2022. The first guardian, he served as commander of the United States Space Command from 2019 to 2020.
David Dean Thompson is a retired United States Space Force general who last served as the first vice chief of space operations from 2020 to 2023. He previously served as the vice commander of the Space Force 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.
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.
Thomas A. Bussiere is a United States Air Force general who has served as commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command since December 7, 2022. He most recently served as the deputy commander of the United States Strategic Command from 2020 to 2022. He attended St. Johnsbury Academy in Vermont (1981) and was commissioned in 1985 through ROTC at Norwich University. Bussiere previously served as Commander, Alaskan Command, United States Northern 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 previously served as the commander of Combined Force Space Component Command and vice commander of Space Operations Command from 2020 to 2022. She is the first woman to hold the rank of major general in the U.S. Space Force.
Timothy D. Haugh is a United States Air Force lieutenant general who serves as the deputy commander of the United States Cyber Command. He previously commanded the Sixteenth Air Force from 2019 to 2022.
Anthony James Cotton is a United States Air Force four-star general who serves as the 12th commander of the United States Strategic Command since 9 December 2022. He most recently served as the commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command from 27 August 2021 to 7 December 2022, having served as the deputy commander from 2019 to 2021. Prior to that, he was the president of the Air University.
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.
Philip Alan Garrant is a United States Space Force lieutenant general who serves as the acting vice chief of space operations and deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs, and requirements.
David J. Meyer is a United States Air Force major general who serves as the assistant deputy chief of staff for operations of the United States Air Force since July 2022. He most recently served as the deputy commander of the Ninth Air Force, and was previously the deputy director of operations of the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Gregory J. Gagnon is a United States Space Force major general who serves as the deputy chief of space operations for the intelligence of the United States Space Force. He has served as director of intelligence for both the United States Space Command and Air Combat Command. A career intelligence and cyber officer, he has commanded the Texas Cryptologic Center and 67th Cyberspace Operations Group.
Matthew W. McFarlane is a United States Army major general who has served as deputy commanding general of I Corps since September 2023. He most recently served as commander of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve from September 8, 2022 to August 22, 2023. He also served as the deputy commanding general of United States Army Pacific from August 2021 to July 2022, and as the commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division from 2019 to 2021. Previously, he was the Senior Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense.
