- Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess has received Senate confirmation for the CSO role
- Schiess will succeed the retiring Gen. Chance Saltzman
- Schiess laid out a three-part mandate for space defense during his confirmation hearing
The Senate on Thursday confirmed Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess to serve as the next chief of space operations at the U.S. Space Force.
The Space Force said Friday Schiess succeeds Gen. Chance Saltzman, a four-time Wash100 honoree who is preparing for retirement after a 35-year military career.
“Lieutenant General Schiess is an exceptional leader and brings the experience and vision needed to guide the service into its next chapter,” Saltzman said. “I look forward to watching the Space Force continue to thrive under his leadership.”
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, a 2026 Wash100 awardee, said he is pleased with the Senate’s action.
“General Schiess is a visionary leader who will ensure the Space Force remains equipped and our Guardians remain trained to deter conflict while accelerating the delivery of next-generation capabilities that keep the nation ahead of evolving threats,” Meink added.
What Did Schiess Say During His Confirmation Hearing?
Schiess, who was nominated in May, told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his July 16 confirmation hearing that leading the Space Force would be the highlight of his military career.
“It will be the honor of my professional career to lead the Guardians of the United States Space Force,” the lieutenant general said. “I will work tirelessly to ensure our Guardians are ready, our capabilities are resilient, our partnerships remain strong, and our service is worthy of the trust placed in us by the American people.”
He also addressed the growing strategic importance of space during his testimony.
“The space domain is increasingly contested and vital to modern warfare,” Schiess testified. “Our purpose is not confrontation, but deterrence, ensuring no adversary believes aggression against the United States will succeed.”
Schiess further laid out a three-part mandate for how the service must organize, train and equip its forces.
“We must defend our nation’s space capabilities so that the Joint Force can project power; we must protect the Joint Force from space-enabled attack; and we must deliver the capabilities that the Joint Force needs to prosecute the full range of its missions,” he noted.
Who Is Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess?
Schiess is a senior Space Force officer who currently serves as deputy chief of space operations for operations, a position he has held since November. In this role, he oversees policies governing Space Force global operations, training, readiness and sustainment, and serves as operations deputy to the Chief of Space Operations on Joint Chiefs of Staff matters.
Before assuming his current post, Schiess served as commander of Space Forces-Space and the Combined Joint Force Space Component within U.S. Space Command. His earlier assignments include commander of Combined Force Space Component Command, director of space and cyber operations within Space Operations Command and commander of the Space Force’s 45th Space Wing.
Schiess began his military career in 1992 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC program at the University of California, Los Angeles, and transferred to the Space Force in 2022. Across his career, he has held leadership positions spanning squadron, group, wing, joint component and field command levels, and has deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve and Resolute Support.
