AFA Applauds Nomination of Lt. Gen Schiess as Next CSO

ARLINGTON, Va., May 1, 2026 — The Air & Space Forces Association welcomed the nomination of Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess as the next Chief of Space Operations.

“Doug Schiess is the perfect choice at this crucial time for the Space Force, as it begins a substantial new period of growth,” said AFA President & CEO Lt. Gen. Burt Field.

Schiess will succeed Gen. B. Chance Saltzman as the Space Force’s top officer, who raised the bar for the Space Force as a warfighting military service.

“Just as Gen. Jay Raymond set the conditions for Gen. ‘Salty’ Saltzman to succeed as the second-ever Chief of Space Operations, so has Salty created the vision, budget, and operational vectors for Gen. Schiess to hit the ground running when he becomes CSO,” Field said. “The Space Force at six is more mature and ready than it’s ever been, but the challenges and threats ahead continue to mount, and the Space Force we need is still being built. Doug Schiess has the operational experience to help get us where we need to be.”

AFA looks forward to working with the future CSO as a leading advocate for spacepower as a cornerstone of U.S. National Security.

About AFA

The Air & Space Forces Association is an independent, non-profit 501(c)3 association dedicated to advocating for the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Space Force, Airmen, Guardians, and their Families. Founded in 1946, AFA is the single largest entity of its kind focused on air and space power. With more than 350,000 members and 200 chapters spread around the world, our mission is to promote dominant U.S. Air Force and Space Force as the foundation of a strong National Defense; to honor and support Airmen, Guardians, and their Families; and to remember and respect the enduring heritage of the Air Force and Space Force.