Chief of Space Operations

{{short description|Senior-most officer and service chief of the United States Space Force}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}

{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}

{{Infobox official post

| post = Chief

| body = Space Operations

| native_name =

| insignia = Space Staff Identification Badge.png

| insigniasize =

| insigniacaption = Space Staff identification badge

| flag = Flag of the Chief of Space Operations.svg

| flagsize =

| flagborder = yes

| flagcaption = CSO flag

| image = Gen B. Chance Saltzman.jpg

| imagesize =

| alt =

| incumbent = General B. Chance Saltzman

| acting =

| incumbentsince = 2 November 2022

| department = United States Space Force
Space Staff

| style =

| type = Service chief

| status =

| abbreviation = CSO

| member_of = Joint Chiefs of Staff
Space Staff

| reports_to = Secretary of Defense
Secretary of the Air Force

| residence = Space House, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.{{cite web|url=https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6466456/cso-holiday-event|title=CSO Holiday Event [Image 2 of 17]|date=12 December 2020|last=Dietrich|first=Eric|website=Defense Visual Information Distribution Service|access-date=26 November 2021|archive-date=26 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126081203/https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6466456/cso-holiday-event|url-status=live}}

| seat = The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia

| nominator =

| appointer = The President

| appointer_qualified = with Senate advice and consent

| termlength = 4 years

| termlength_qualified = Renewable one time, only during war or national emergency

| constituting_instrument = {{UnitedStatesCode|10|9082}}

| precursor =

| formation = 20 December 2019

| first = John W. Raymond

| last =

| abolished =

| succession =

| unofficial_names =

| deputy = Vice Chief of Space Operations

| salary =

| website =

}}

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.{{efn|Unless the chairman or vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is a Space Force officer.}}

The CSO is an administrative position based in the Pentagon, and while they do not have operational command authority over Space Force forces, the chief of space operations does exercise supervision of Space Force units and organizations as the designee of the secretary of the Air Force.

Appointment, rank, and responsibilities

= Appointment =

The chief of space operations is nominated for appointment by the president, for a four-year term of office, and must be confirmed by the Senate. The chief can be reappointed to serve one additional term, but only during times of war or national emergency declared by Congress. By statute, the chief is appointed as a four-star general.{{Cite web|title=10 U.S. Code § 9082 - Chief of Space Operations|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/9082|access-date=2021-12-12|website=LII / Legal Information Institute|language=en|archive-date=2020-07-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727215428/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/9082|url-status=live}}

= Responsibilities =

== Department of the Air Force ==

Under the authority, direction and control of the secretary of the Air Force, the chief of space operations presides over the Space Staff, acts as the secretary's executive agent in carrying out approved plans, and exercises supervision over organizations and members of the Space Force as determined by the secretary. The chief of space operations may also perform other duties as assigned by either the president, the secretary of defense or the secretary of the Air Force.{{cite web |title=U.S. SPACE FORCE FACT SHEET |url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheet |website=Official United States Space Force Website |publisher=United States Space Force |access-date=22 December 2019 |date=2019-12-20 |archive-date=2020-01-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116153301/https://www.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheet |url-status=live }}

== Member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ==

The chief of space operations became a statutory member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on 20 December 2020. When performing duties as a member of the Joint Chiefs, the chief of space operations is responsible directly to the secretary of defense. Like the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the CSO is an administrative position, with no operational command authority over Space Force forces.

History

File:Vice President Pence Participates in a Swearing-in Ceremony (49390927228).jpg

The post of chief of space operations was created on 20 December 2019, along with the United States Space Force, with the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. General John W. Raymond, the commander of US Space Command and Air Force Space Command, was announced as the first chief of space operations on that same day.{{cite news|author=Ryan Browne|date=2019-12-20|title=With a signature, Trump brings Space Force into being|work=CNN|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/20/politics/trump-creates-space-force/index.html|access-date=2020-01-21|archive-date=2021-10-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008080514/https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/20/politics/trump-creates-space-force/index.html|url-status=live}} On 14 January 2020, Raymond was sworn in as the first chief of space operations by Vice President Mike Pence.{{cite news|date=2020-01-18|title=New Space Force uniforms are camo, but why?|language=en|work=ABC12.com|agency=CNN\Gray News|url=https://www.abc12.com/content/news/New-Space-Force-uniforms-are-camo-but-why-567106481.html|access-date=2020-01-21|archive-date=2020-01-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200119132009/https://www.abc12.com/content/news/New-Space-Force-uniforms-are-camo-but-why-567106481.html|url-status=dead}}

On 20 December 2020, the CSO officially became the 8th member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Raymond was inducted to the body in a ceremony on 11 December 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2450698/space-force-leader-to-become-8th-member-of-joint-chiefs/https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2450698/space-force-leader-to-become-8th-member-of-joint-chiefs/|title=Space Force Leader to Become 8th Member of Joint Chiefs|website=U.S. Department of Defense}}{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

Space Staff

{{main|Structure of the United States Space Force}}

The Office of the Chief of Space Operations, or more commonly referred to as the Space Staff, is the headquarters for the Space Force. It is responsible for organizing, training, and equipping of the Space Force cooperating with the Air Staff on support issues. It is headed by the chief of space operations and the vice chief of space operations, both four-star generals, and the chief master sergeant of the Space Force. There is also a director of staff who oversees the staff action group, protocol, information technology and administration, resources, and total force integration groups.{{cite web |url=https://velosteam.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Space-Force-Report.pdf |title=SKM_C3851FS20020412000 |access-date=2020-03-13 |archive-date=2020-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205024728/https://velosteam.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Space-Force-Report.pdf |url-status=live }} The chief of space operations also has four deputy chiefs of space operations.

The CSO personal office is composed of the following:{{Cite web |title=HEADQUARTERS AIR FORCE MISSION DIRECTIVE 2-1 |url=https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/hqsf/publication/hafmd2-1/hafmd2-1.pdf |website=US Air Force}}{{Cite web |date=26 October 2022 |title=DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDIR-2022-10-26/pdf/CDIR-2022-10-26-DEPARTMENTS-6.pdf |website=govinfo.gov}}

List of chiefs of space operations

File:Saltzman formally elevated to Space Force’s highest position – Chief of Space Operations (6).jpg

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col" rowspan=2 | {{abbr|No.|Number}}

! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Portrait

! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Name

! scope="col" colspan=3 | Term

! scope="col" colspan=2 | Secretaries served under:

! scope="col" rowspan=2 | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}

scope="col" | Took office

! scope="col" | Left office

! scope="col" | Duration

! scope="col" | Air Force

! scope="col" | Defense

{{Officeholder table

| order = 1

| military_rank = General

| image = Gen John W. Raymond (5).jpg

| officeholder = John W. Raymond

| born_year = 1962

| died_year =

| term_start = 20 December 2019

| term_end = 2 November 2022

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2019|12|20|2022|11|02}}

| alt_officeholder = Barbara Barrett

| alt_officeholder2 = Frank Kendall III
Troy Meink

| coalition = Mark Esper

| coalition2 = Lloyd Austin

| ref = {{cite web |url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/SFB/Display/Article/2040592/john-w-jay-raymond/ |title=General John W. "Jay" Raymond |website=United States Space Force |date=April 2022 |access-date=October 3, 2022 |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929093759/https://www.spaceforce.mil/SFB/Display/Article/2040592/john-w-jay-raymond/ |url-status=live }}{{PD-notice}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 2

| military_rank = General

| image = Gen B. Chance Saltzman.jpg

| officeholder = B. Chance Saltzman

| born_year = 1969

| died_year =

| term_start = 2 November 2022

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|2022|11|02}}

| alt_officeholder = Frank Kendall III
Troy Meink

| coalition = Lloyd Austin

| coalition2 = Pete Hegseth

| ref = {{Cite web |url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/SFB/Display/Article/2329659/b-chance-saltzman/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220825203433/https://www.spaceforce.mil/SFB/Display/Article/2329659/b-chance-saltzman/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 August 2022 |title=General B. Chance Saltzman |date=November 2022 |website=United States Space Force |access-date=November 14, 2022 }}{{PD-notice}}

}}

= Timeline =

{{#tag:timeline|

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PlotArea = top:10 bottom:50 right:130 left:20

AlignBars = late

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy

Period = from:01/09/2019 till:31/12/{{#expr:{{#time:Y}}+1}}

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal

ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:2020

Define $now = {{#time:d/m/Y|-5 hours}}

Colors =

id:cso value:rgb(0,0,1) legend: CSO

id:time value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)

Legend = orientation:vertical position:right

LineData =

layer:back

width:0.1

color:time

at:01/01/2020

at:01/01/2021

at:01/01/2022

at:01/01/2023

at:01/01/2024

at:01/01/2025

at:01/01/2026

BarData =

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bar:spacer

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bar:spacer

PlotData=

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bar:saltzman from:02/11/2022 till:$now color:cso text:"Saltzman"

}}

Heritage portraits

Former chiefs of space operations have portraits on permanent display in the Pentagon.{{cite web |url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3472718/secretary-of-the-air-force-unveils-historic-first-cso-portrait/ |title=Secretary of the Air Force unveils historic first CSO portrait |date=2023-07-27 |website=United States Space Force}}{{PD-notice}}

File:CSO Gen. Raymond heritage portrait (2).jpg|Gen John W. Raymond (2019–2022)

See also

References

= Notes =

{{Notelist}}

= Sources =

{{Reflist}}

{{United States Space Force}}

{{Current JCS members}}

*

Category:United States Space Force officers

US