Vice Chief of Space Operations
{{short description|Second-highest-ranking military officer in the United States Space Force}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Vice Chief
| body = Space Operations
| native_name =
| insignia = Space Staff Identification Badge.png
| insigniasize =
| insigniacaption = Space Staff Identification Badge
| flag = Flag of the Vice Chief of Space Operations.svg
| flagsize =
| flagborder = yes
| flagcaption = Flag of the vice chief of space operations
| image = Gen Michael A. Guetlein.jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
| incumbent = General Michael Guetlein
| acting =
| incumbentsince = 21 December 2023
| department = United States Space Force
Space Staff
| style =
| type =
| status =
| abbreviation = VCSO
| member_of = Space Staff
Joint Requirements Oversight Council
| reports_to = Secretary of the Air Force
{{nobreak|Chief of Space Operations}}
| residence =
| seat = The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, United States
| nominator =
| appointer = The president
| appointer_qualified = with Senate advice and consent
| termlength =
| termlength_qualified =
| constituting_instrument = {{USC|10|9083}}
| precursor =
| formation = 2 October 2020
| first = David D. Thompson
| last =
| abolished =
| succession =
| unofficial_names =
| deputy =
| salary =
| website =
}}
The vice chief of space operations (VCSO) is an office held by a four-star general in the United States Space Force. The vice chief directly supports the Chief of Space Operations (CSO) by serving as a member of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) and also operates with the full authority of the chief of space operations during the CSO's absence. The VCSO is nominated for appointment by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The VCSO is the second-highest position in the U.S. Space Force, equivalent to other services' vice chief positions.
History
File:201001-F-JJ904-086.jpg (left) promotes Lt Gen David D. Thompson to the rank of general during a ceremony in the Pentagon, 1 October 2020]]
In February 2020, the Space Force sent a report to the United States Congress on the service's proposed organizational structure, in which it outlines the plan for the position of the vice chief of space operations. The VCSO would be established as a four-star statutory position with duties and responsibilities equivalent to other service vice positions that would grant the VCSO parity with vice positions established in law in the other military services.{{cite web|url=https://www.airforcemag.com/app/uploads/2020/02/Comprehensive-Plan-for-the-Organizational-Struccture-of-the-USSF_Feb-2020.pdf|title=Comprehensive Plan for the Organizational Structure of the U.S. Space Force|date=February 2020|agency=Department of the Air Force|page=16|access-date=August 15, 2020}}{{PD-notice}}
On August 6, 2020, Lieutenant General David D. Thompson was nominated for promotion to general and assignment as the first VCSO.{{cite news|url=https://www.airforcemag.com/thompson-tapped-as-space-force-vice-chief/|title=Thompson Tapped as Space Force Vice Chief|date=August 7, 2020|agency=Air Force Magazine|last=Cohen|first=Rachel S.|access-date=August 15, 2020}} The United States Senate confirmed him on September 30, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/116th-congress/2163|title=PN2163 – 1 nominee for Space Force, 116th Congress (2019–2020) | Congress.gov | Library of Congress}} Thompson was promoted on October 1, 2020, and assumed the position of VCSO the next day, October 2, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article/2371102/first-ever-vice-cso-joins-us-space-force/|title=First-ever Vice CSO joins U.S. Space Force|website=United States Space Force|date=4 October 2020 }}
In 2023, Thompson retired from active duty. Lieutenant General Michael Guetlein, the nominee to succeed Thompson, wasn't confirmed by the Senate because of a hold placed by Senator Tommy Tuberville on all Department of Defense nominees, so Lieutenant General Philip Garrant, the most senior officer in the Space Staff, took over as acting VSCO.{{Cite news |date=2023-08-12 |title=See where Sen. Tommy Tuberville is blocking 301 military promotions |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/12/military-promotions-blocked-tuberville/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3528005/daf-commemorates-air-forces-76th-anniversary-space-forces-4th-anniversary-with/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920023329/https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3528005/daf-commemorates-air-forces-76th-anniversary-space-forces-4th-anniversary-with/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 September 2023 |title=DAF commemorates Air Force's 76th anniversary, Space Force's 4th anniversary with worship service |date=2023-09-15 |website=United States Air Force}}{{PD-notice}}
In December 2024, both the House and Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 to make the position of VCSO at statutory office and rank.
List of vice chiefs of space operations
| class="wikitable" |
| scope="col" rowspan=2 | {{abbr|No.|Number}}
! scope="col" colspan=2 | Vice Chief of Space Operations ! scope="col" colspan=3 | Term ! scope="col" rowspan=2 | Chief of Space Operations ! scope="col" rowspan=2 | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
|---|
| scope="col" class="unsortable" | Portrait
! scope="col" | Name ! scope="col" | Took office ! scope="col" | Left office ! scope="col" | Term length {{Officeholder table | order = 1 | military_rank = General | image = Gen David D. Thompson (3).jpg | officeholder = David D. Thompson | born_year = 1963 | died_year = | term_start = 2 October 2020 | term_end = 14 December 2023 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|2 October 2020|14 December 2023}} | alt_officeholder = John W. Raymond | alt_officeholder2 = B. Chance Saltzman }} {{Officeholder table | order = - | military_rank = Lieutenant General | image = Lt Gen Philip A. Garrant.jpg | officeholder = Philip Garrant | born_year = {{Circa|1969}} | died_year = | term_start = 14 December 2023 | term_end = 21 December 2023 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|14 December 2023|21 December 2023}} | alt_officeholder = B. Chance Saltzman | acting = y }} {{Officeholder table | order = 2 | military_rank = General | image = Gen Michael A. Guetlein.jpg | officeholder = Michael Guetlein | born_year = 1967 | died_year = | term_start = 21 December 2023 | timeinoffice = {{ayd|21 December 2023 |
| alt_officeholder = B. Chance Saltzman
}}
|}
= Timeline =
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Define $now = {{#time:d/m/Y|-5 hours}}
Colors =
id:vcso value:skyblue legend: VCSO
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}}