- Lt. Gen. David N. Miller Jr. has been nominated to lead U.S. Space Command
- Miller currently serves as U.S. Space Force’s deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements
- Miller would succeed Gen. Stephen Whiting
President Donald Trump has nominated Lt. Gen. David Miller Jr. to become the next commander of U.S. Space Command.
According to a congressional notice, the Senate received the president’s nomination on Tuesday.
Breaking Defense reported that if confirmed, Miller would succeed Gen. Stephen Whiting, a one-time Wash100 awardee, as commander of the combatant command responsible for military operations in the space domain.
Who Is Lt. Gen. David Miller?
Miller currently serves as the deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements at the Pentagon. In that position, he is responsible for Space Force strategies and concepts, requirements, and budget matters, according to his official biography.
He previously commanded Space Operations Command at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, from January 2024 through November 2025. Before that assignment, Miller served as the director of operations, training and force development at U.S. Space Command from 2021 to 2023.
His career also includes assignments as special assistant to the vice chief of space operations, assistant deputy chief of space operations for operations, cyber and nuclear, and director of plans, programs and financial management for Air Force Space Command and later the U.S. Space Force.
Miller has commanded guardians and airmen at the squadron, group and wing levels, including the 2nd Range Operations Squadron, 21st Operations Group and 460th Space Wing.
Earlier in his career, he served as an intercontinental ballistic missile operator, instructor and senior standards and evaluation crew commander.
What Did Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess Say About the Nomination?
The nomination of Miller follows the Senate’s confirmation of Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess as the next chief of space operations. The Senate confirmed Schiess on Aug. 12, and he succeeded Gen. Chance Saltzman as the Space Force’s top military officer.
On Wednesday, Schiess welcomed Miller’s nomination in a post on his official X account, congratulating him and citing his experience and leadership background.
“He is an exceptional Guardian who has represented our service with distinction, and we believe he is a strong candidate for this critical joint leadership role,” he added.
