The rank of general (or full general, or four-star general), ranks above lieutenant general (three-star general) and is the highest rank achievable in the United States Space Force.
There have been six four-star generals in the history of the U.S. Space Force. All achieved that rank while on active duty. Generals entered the Space Force via several paths: Three were commissioned via the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC), two via the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), and one via the Academy of Military Science (AMS).
List of generals
The following lists of four-star generals are sortable by last name, date of rank. The date listed is that of the officer's first promotion to general, and may differ from the officer's entry in the U.S. Space Force register. The year commissioned is taken to be the year the officer was commissioned which may precede the officer's actual date of commission by up to two years. Each entry lists the general's name, date of rank, active-duty position held while serving at four-star rank, number of years of active-duty service at four-star rank (Yrs), year commissioned and source of commission, number of years in commission when promoted to four-star rank (YC), and other biographical notes.
| No. | Name | Photo | Date of rank | Position(s) | Yrs. | Commission | YC. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John W. Raymond | 25 Oct 2016 |
| 6 | 1984 (AFROTC) | 32 | (born 1962) | |
| 2 | David D. Thompson | 1 Oct 2020 |
| 3 | 1985 (USAFA) | 35 | (born 1963) | |
| 3 | B. Chance Saltzman | 2 Nov 2022 |
| 3 | 1991 (AFROTC) | 31 | (born 1969) | |
| 4 | Michael A. Guetlein | 21 Dec 2023 |
| 2 | 1991 (AFROTC) | 31 | (born 1967) | |
| 5 | Stephen N. Whiting | 10 Jan 2024 |
| 1 | 1989 (USAFA) | 35 | (born 1967) | |
| 6 | Shawn N. Bratton | 1 Aug 2025 |
| 0 | 1994 (AMS) | 31 | (born 1968) |
History
Four-star positions
2019–present
The modern rank of general was established by the Officer Personnel Act of 1947, which authorized the President to designate certain positions of importance to carry that rank. Officers appointed to such positions bear temporary four-star rank while so serving, and are allowed to retire at that rank if their performance is judged satisfactory. The total number of active-duty four-star generals in the Space Force is limited to a fixed percentage of the number of Space Force general officers serving at all ranks.
Within the Space Force, the chief of space operations (CSO) is a four-star general by statute. Other four-star generals can occupy positions of designated importance; including the vice chief of space operations (VCSO) and the commander of the United States Space Command (USSPACECOM).
The Space Force also competes with the other services for a number of joint four-star positions, such as the chairman (CJCS) and vice chairman (VJCS) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Other joint four-star positions have included unified combatant commanders, sub-unified combatant commands, and certain NATO staff positions.
Legislation
The following list of Congressional legislation includes major acts of Congress pertaining to appointments to the grade of general in the United States Space Force.
| Legislation | Citation | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Act of December 20, 2019 [United States Space Force Act] | 133 Stat. 1561 133 Stat. 1563 |
|
| Act of December 23, 2022 [James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023] | 136 Stat. 2557 |
|
See also
- General (United States)
- List of active duty United States four-star officers
- List of United States Army four-star generals
- List of United States Marine Corps four-star generals
- List of United States Navy four-star admirals
- List of United States Air Force four-star generals
- List of United States Coast Guard four-star admirals
- List of United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps four-star admirals
- List of United States Space Force lieutenant generals
- List of active duty United States Space Force general officers
- List of United States military leaders by rank
wikipedia, wiki, encyclopedia, book, library, article, read, free download, Information about List of United States Space Force four-star generals, What is List of United States Space Force four-star generals? What does List of United States Space Force four-star generals mean?