Douglas Schiess

Douglas Andrew Schiess (born 5 February 1970) is a United States Space Force general who serves as the third and current chief of space operations. He previously served as deputy chief of space operations for operations and the first commander of United States Space Forces – Space and combined joint force space component commander of the United States Space Command. Schiess entered the United States Air Force in 1992 after graduating from the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He is a career missile and space operations officer, initially working in ICBM squadrons before transitioning to space launch, GPS and military satellite communication assignments. He has commanded the 4th Space Operations Squadron, the 45th Operations Group, the 21st Space Wing, and the 45th Space Wing in the Air Force. He also deployed to Qatar in support of the war in Afghanistan. In 2022, Schiess transferred to the Space Force. In 2023, he was promoted to lieutenant general and became the inaugural commander of United States Space Forces – Space. On 3 September 2026, he was promoted to general and became the third chief of space operations, the military head of the Space Force.