Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld put the rampant speculation about the fate of Air Force Space Command to rest Friday when he announced President Bush has nominated Lt. Gen. Kevin P. Chilton to receive a fourth star and head Air Force Space Command. Chilton currently leads 8th Air Force, headquartered at Barksdale AFB, La., and serves as the Joint Functional Component Commander for Space and Global Strike at US Strategic Command. The 1976 Air Force Academy graduate has served as a tactical fighter and reconnaissance pilot, test pilot, astronaut, and AFSPC deputy director of operations, among other assignments. If confirmed by the Senate, Chilton would become the 13th commander of Space Command, following Gen. Lance Lord, who retired earlier this year.
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff touted his highly unusual background for the job as an asset and reaffirmed his commitment to stay apolitical during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 1.