Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess was nominated to serve as the next chief of the Space Force, the service announced on Friday.
If confirmed, Schiess will be just the third person to serve as the chief of space operations since the Space Force was established in 2019, following in the shoes of Gen. Jay Raymond and Gen. Chance Saltzman, who is expected to retire this year.
“The Space Force has made tremendous progress in a short time, and our mission has never been more important,” Schiess said in a statement. “If confirmed, I will focus on sharpening our lethality and accelerating the delivery of space capabilities to the warfighter, keeping the Space Force ahead against any adversary.”
Meet Schiess: Schiess has served in the military for more than 30 years, and has worked as the deputy chief of space operations for operations since November.
- He joined the Air Force in 1992 after graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles’ Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, before transferring into the Space Force in 2022.
- He has held space-focused roles throughout the military, including as the commander of the 45th Space Wing, the vice commander of Space Operations Command, and the commander for US Space Forces – Space.
Early praise: Schiess has already won the support of Saltzman and Troy Meink, the Air Force secretary, according to statements. But he’s also winning support from outside organizations.
“His experience across critical space missions and leadership roles reflects the caliber of stewardship required to guide the Space Force into its next phase,” the National Security Space Association said in a release. “At a time when the space domain is more vital than ever to national security, this nomination underscores the importance of experienced, forward-thinking leadership.”
What’s next: The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on Schiess’ nomination and vote on whether to approve the nomination, which will also need to pass the full Senate.
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