The Senate has confirmed the Space Force’s second Chief of Space Operations.
Lt. Gen. B. Chance Saltzman will pin on a fourth star and take command of the Space Force, succeeding Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, after lawmakers voted to approve his nomination by voice vote Sept. 29.
“I’m humbled and honored to be confirmed as the next Chief of Space Operations,” Saltzman said in a statement. “I look forward to leading the U.S. Space Force and building on the strong foundational leadership Gen. Raymond has provided for almost three years.”
“Congratulations to Chance Saltzman on his confirmation to serve as the next Chief of Space Operations,” Raymond said in a statement. “I couldn’t be more excited for the Saltzmans and for our Space Force. The team is in great hands.”
Saltzman will ascend to the role after previously serving as the deputy chief of space operations for operations, cyber, and nuclear, a job he first took on in August 2020.
Over the course of more than 30 years in uniform, Saltzman has also commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels in the Air Force. He has served as a satellite operator for the National Reconnaissance Office, commanded two space squadrons within Air Force Space Command, and worked at headquarters of AFSC.
Saltzman will take over a Space Force still developing and maturing its infrastructure, organization, plans, and traditions. In the coming months and years, the young service plans to fold in the Space Development Agency, launch a new resilient constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit, and build up its “lethality” and capability to respond to aggressive actions by competitors such as Russia and China.
At the same time, USSF must also continue to build a culture that incorporates transfers from other military branches, recruits, and civilians, refine its plans for a modern “holistic health” program to replace traditional PT tests, and finalize how it will organize its Reserve and part-time elements.
“We honor Gen. Raymond’s contributions to establish the Space Force and we welcome Gen. Saltzman as he takes the lead,” Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said in a statement. “I’m confident in Chance’s ability and judgement and know our Space Force will continue to provide key capabilities to the joint force and our nation’s defense.”
Saltzman was asked to address some of the challenges and opportunities facing the service in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Sept. 13. He emphasized the need for better test and training infrastructure for Guardians and continued investments in resiliency for satellites and ground stations.
Saltzman sailed through that hearing with little controversy and bipartisan support, and his nomination was approved two weeks later with no opposition.
The Space Force was targeting “early November” for Saltzman’s promotion and change of command ceremony, but the timeline was still being finalized, a Space Force spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
STRATCOM
In addition to Saltzman, the Senate also voted to approve the nomination of USAF Gen. Anthony J. Cotton to take command of U.S. Strategic Command.
Cotton, who currently serves as head of Air Force Global Strike Command, will now oversee the Joint force’s strategic deterrence, nuclear operations, joint electromagnetic spectrum operations, and missile defense, among other mission areas.
Also confirmed by voice vote, Cotton will take over the lead of STRATCOM a little over a year after he was tapped to lead AFGSC in June 2021.
A trained missileer, Cotton will oversee STRATCOM at a critical moment, with all three legs of the U.S. nuclear triad undergoing modernization. At the same time, China has aggressively developed its nuclear arsenal, leading Cotton to refer to its “bona fide” nuclear triad during his confirmation hearing.
Most immediately, though, Russia has engaged in nuclear saber-rattling over its invasion of Ukraine, raising fears that it could be setting the stage for actually using a nuclear weapon.
Cotton comes to the head of STRATCOM after time spent as deputy commander and commander of AFGSC, as well as commander of the 20th Air Force, which oversees the Air Force’s intercontinental ballistic missile operations; and the 341st Missile Wing, responsible for the Minuteman III ICBMs at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.
Once he takes command of STRATCOM from Navy Adm. Charles A. Richard, Cotton will become the third Air Force general actively leading a combatant command, joining Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, head of U.S. Northern Command, and Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost, head of U.S. Transportation Command.