Space Force

PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) --  Gen. Stephen Whiting, U.S. Space Command commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Jacob Simmons, USSPACECOM command senior enlisted leader, traveled to Colombia and Argentina to connect with partners in the region July 28 to Aug. 2.The USSPACECOM leaders started their trip at U.S. Southern Command’s headquarters in Miami, Florida, meeting with U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson, USSOUTHCOM commander and U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Rafael Rodriguez, USSOUTHCOM CSEL.Following their stop in Miami, Whiting and Simmons traveled to Colombia, a nation with which the command has maintained a Space Situational Awareness information sharing agreement with since 2021. The pair met with the commander of the Colombian Air Force Gen....

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFNS) --  The U.S. Senate confirmed Maj. Gen. John J. DeGoes as the U.S. Air Force surgeon general July 31. In this position, he will also serve as the principal advisor on all health and medical matters for the Space Force. The Senate Armed Services Committee confirmed DeGoes by voice vote. “I am honored the U.S. Senate has confirmed my appointment as the surgeon general of the Air Force,” DeGoes said. “This is a humbling and significant milestone, and I am committed to advancing the health and readiness of our Airmen and Guardians. As we navigate a challenging strategic security environment, I will f...

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNS) --  U.S. Air Force Academy cadets, faculty and staff welcomed their 22nd superintendent, Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, during an assumption of command ceremony held here Aug. 2.   “[Bauernfeind’s career] is checkered with all the things you would expect of a senior leader, but something else as well,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin. “He has intellectual curiosity, vision, and an adherence to principles. Those are things we need as we navigate this transformation of the United States Air Force Academy to develop young leaders.”  Bauernfeind, a 1991 Ac...

WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Under Secretary of the Air Force Melissa Dalton reasserted July 29 during an appearance at the Brookings Institution the Air Force and Space Force’s priorities, including the need to modernize and move “holistically” in reshaping the services to meet global challenges. Dalton touched on those and other topics at some depth as well as the need for Congress to approve a budget on-time, in a wide-ranging discussion at the influential think tank. “I have been struck by sense of urgency the Department of the Air Force is moving out on addressing the People’s Republic of China pacing challenge which of course is called for in the National Defense Strategy. Airmen and Guardians alike understand, the PRC pacing chal...

DAYTON, Ohio (AFNS) --  “The strategic environment we're in today is the toughest that I've ever seen,” expressed Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall during his keynote address to the Life Cycle Industry Days crowd, July 30, in Dayton. During his introduction, it was noted that Kendall has worked in government for 50 years. This helped make his opening statement about the current military environment even more powerful.    Overarching topics of Kendall’s address included:  Engineering management and defense acquisition Space security, with progress made and challenges ahead...