Director of Staff of the United States Space Force explained

Post:Director of Staff
Body:the United States Space Force
Insignia:Space Staff Identification Badge.png
Insigniacaption:Space Staff identification badge
Flag:Flag of a United States Space Force major general.svg
Flagcaption:Flag of a Space Force major general
Incumbent:Major General Steven P. Whitney
Incumbentsince:7 July 2023
Department:United States Space Force
Appointer:The President
Appointer Qualified:with Senate advice and consent
First:Nina Armagno
Deputy:Deputy Director of Staff

The director of staff of the United States Space Force (SF/DS) is a senior leadership position in the United States Space Force held by a major general. The director of staff reports to the chief of space operations (CSO) and has overall responsibility for providing executive staff to the CSO, vice chief of space operations, and chief master sergeant of the Space Force.

The director of staff is responsible for the supervision of key enterprise matters related to integrating and synchronizing policies, plans, positions, procedures, and cross-functional issues for the Office of the Chief of Space Operations (informally referred to as the "Space Staff"), interacting with Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, Department of State, United States Congress, and other U.S. government and state agencies on correspondence and tasking issues. The director of staff is responsible for the planning, coordinating, executing, and supervising of key forums, and ensuring the efficient execution of the Space Staff responsibilities. Additionally, the director of staff is responsible for administrative functions, and budget and execution of the Space Staff Program Element.[1]

History

The organizational structure of the Space Force headquarters was first proposed in February 2020 with a director of staff held by a lieutenant general.[2] By July 2020, Major General B. Chance Saltzman was performing the duties in an acting capacity.[3] On July 29, 2020, then-Major General Nina Armagno was nominated for the director of staff position.[4] She was promoted on August 17, 2020, then becoming the inaugural director of staff of the U.S. Space Force.[5]

On July 7, 2023, Armagno retired from the Space Force[6] turning the position over to Major General Steven P. Whitney, making the three-star position a two-star position.[7] The three-star billet for the director of staff was transferred to the commander of U.S Space Forces Space, following the planned elevation of Space Operations Command West as a component field command.[8]

Organization

List of directors of staff

Timeline

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Headquarters Air Force Mission Directive 2-2, Special Management, Office of the Chief of Space Operations Director of Staff. March 20, 2023. U.S. Air Force. May 9, 2023.
  2. Web site: Comprehensive Plan for the Organizational Structure of the U.S. Space Force . March 13, 2020 . February 5, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200205024728/https://velosteam.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Space-Force-Report.pdf . live .
  3. Web site: Space Force proposes headquarters staff led by generals and civilians. July 7, 2020. SpaceNews.
  4. Web site: Space Force Boss's Office Staffs Up. July 29, 2020. Air Force Magazine.
  5. Web site: First female general officer promotes, transfers to Space Force. August 17, 2020. United States Space Force.
  6. Web site: Stephen Whiting on LinkedIn: Congrats to our dear friends Lt Gen Nina Armagno and Eddie Papczun on… | 85 comments .
  7. Web site: Biographies .
  8. Web site: 2023 Strategic Plan. Space Operations Command. 2023. December 22, 2023.
  9. Web site: Wade S. Yamada. November 2020. United States Air Force.