Gen. Kevin Chilton formally assumed command of Air Force Space Command during a ceremony June 26 at Peterson AFB, Colo., home to AFSPC headquarters. Chilton, who succeeds now-retired Gen. Lance Lord, is the first former astronaut to earn a fourth star, which he pinned on just before the change of command. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley, who presided at the ceremony, told Chilton, “You know air and space power first hand; you understand the needs, the nuances of command and you know the challenges ahead of us as an air and space force.” Chilton spoke of the command’s uniqueness, in that every operational unit is “CHOP’d” to the head of US Strategic Command, the nation’s combatant commander for space. Said Chilton of his new personnel, “We are in the fight, 24/7, 365 days of the year.”
Air Force Changes Rules for Pregnant Aircrew—Again
April 3, 2025
The Air Force is changing its policy for pregnant aircrew, generally reverting to rules set in 2019 that barred female aviators from flying during the first trimester—or from flying in aircraft with ejection seats at all—due to potential risks to the pilot and her unborn fetus.