A deputy chief of space operations is a senior leadership position in the United States Space Force. There are five deputy chiefs of space operations in the Space Force, staffed either by a lieutenant general or a senior executive service personnel. They are the service's equivalent to the Army's and Air Force's deputy chiefs of staff, the Marine Corps' deputy commandants, and the Navy's deputy chiefs of naval operations. They are part of the Office of the Chief of Space Operations and hold office at the Pentagon.
The proposed organizational structure of the Space Force's headquarters was first revealed in a February 2020 congressional report, with directors instead of deputy chiefs of space operations. Intending to be "lean and agile", the service consolidated the normal nine functional areas into three directorates. In a June 2020 draft proposal, the position was renamed deputy chiefs of staff. On July 29, 2020, the first two deputy chiefs of operations were nominated. The Space Force adopted C-suite titles in designing their senior leadership positions.
Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Human Capital
The deputy chief of space operations for human capital (S1 or SF/CHCO) is the chief human capital officer of the Space Force. The CHCO directs the Space Force's personnel management, which encompasses force structure analysis, personnel programs, civilian personnel, readiness, senior officer matters, quality force issues, equal opportunity, and family support.
Structure Deputy Chief of Space Operations: Katharine Kelley Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations: Todd L. Remington Director, Analysis and Systems (SF/S1A): Director, Civilian Policy and Management (SF/S1C): Director, Force Development (SF/S1D): Steve Turner Jr. Director, Senior Leader Management (SF/S1L): Director, Manpower (SF/S1M): Director, Military Policy and Management (SF/S1P): Ruth Afiesimama Director, Quality of Life & Resilience (SF/S1Q): Director, Enterprise Talent Management (SF/ETM): Troy Lane Senior Enlisted Advisor: CMSgt Caleb Lloyd
List of officeholders Deputy Chief of Space OperationsTermPortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTerm length
Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Intelligence The deputy chief of space operations for intelligence (S2) is the senior intelligence officer of the Space Force. The S2 has intelligence policy, oversight, and guidance of Space Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The S2 is responsible for the Space Force Intelligence Community Element to the United States Intelligence Community and is the chief of the Service Cryptologic Component with delegated authorities from the Director of the National Security Agency. The position was originally the director of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance under the COO. It was moved out as a separate position on 12 April 2023.
Structure Deputy Chief of Space Operations: John J. Deeney IV Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations: Ed Mornston Director, Analysis and Production (S2A): Director, ISR Partnerships and Integration (S2I): Director, Warfighter Support (S2P): Col Marc D. Daniels Director, ISR Resources and Requirements (S2R): Col John V. Otte Director, Space Force Cryptologic Office (S2C): Luis Gonzalez Director, Space Force GEOINT Office (S2G):
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Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations
The deputy chief of space operations for operations (S3/4/7/10 or SF/COO) is the chief operations officer of the Space Force. The COO has overall responsibility for the Space Force's operations, sustainment, cyber, and nuclear operations. The position used to be deputy chief of space operations for operations, cyber, and nuclear until 2025 when the cyber function was transferred to the deputy chief of space operations for cyber and data.
Structure
Deputy Chief of Space Operations: Lt Gen Douglas Schiess Senior Enlisted Advisor: CMSgt Amber A. Abramowski Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations: Brig Gen Nick Hague Associate Deputy Chief of Space Operations: Kathryn Kolbe Director of Staff: Karl D. Hebert
Senior Cyber Officer: Director, Force Assessment (COO/S3A): Col Stephan Cummings Director, Current Operations (COO/S33): Col Mia L. Walsh Director, Future Operations (COO/S35): Col Evan J. Briggs Director, Training (S3T): Col Joseph Tobin Director, Joint and National Security Council Matters (S3J): Col Jeremy Nutz Director, Special Programs (S3Z): Mr. Roberto Colon Director, Mission Sustainment (S4O): Col Marcia Quigley Director, Force Generation (S7O): Col Timothy C. Sheehan Director, Deterrence Operations (S3N):
List of officeholders Deputy Chief of Space OperationsTermPortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTerm length
Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements
The deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs, requirements (S5/8 or SF/CSRO) is the chief strategy and resourcing officer of the Space Force. The CSRO has overall responsibility for the Space Force's strategies, requirements, and budget.
Structure Deputy Chief of Space Operations: Lt Gen David N. Miller Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations: Jessica P. Powers Director of Strategy, Futures, and Partnerships (S5S): Col Todd J. Benson Chief, Futures and Intgeration (S5SB): Col Carl Bottolfson Chief, Global Partnerships (S5SP): Col George B. Nuno Chief, Strategy, Policy, and Plans (S5SS): Col William Sanders Director of Operational Capability Requirements (S5R): Col Peter Mastro Chief, Information Warfare and Mobility (S5RI): Chief, Combat Power (S5RP): Chief, Requirements Integration (S5RR): Director of Plans and Programs (S8): Vacant Deputy Director & Chief, Planning and Analysis (S8PX): Jason Sutherland Chief, Resource Integration (S8PN): Ramon Ayoade Chief, Programming (S8PS): Emil Garawan Mobilization Assistant: Brig Gen Damon S. Feltman, USAF Senior Enlisted Advisor:
List of officeholders Deputy Chief of Space OperationsTermPortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTerm length
Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Cyber and Data
The deputy chief of space operations for cyber and data (S6) is the chief technology and innovation officer of the Space Force. Originally the deputy chief of space operations for technology and innovation, the position was redesignated as deputy chief of space operations for cyber and data on 19 November 2024.
Structure Deputy Chief of Space Operations: Ms. Charleen Laughlin Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations: Col Nathan L. Iven Director, Science, Technology, and Research (STR): Joel B. Mozer Director, Innovation and Digital Transformation (IDT): Col Stephen Landry Director, Digital Infrastructure, Data, and Data Analytics (IDA): Director, Analysis (S9): Gerald Diaz
List of officeholders Deputy Chief of Space OperationsTermPortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTerm length
Assistant Chief of Space Operations for Future Concepts and Partnerships Assistant Chief of SpaceOperationsTermPortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTerm length
See also Director of Staff of the United States Space Force Space Staff United States Space Force
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