Douglas A. Schiess

Douglas Andrew Schiess (born 5 February 1970) is a United States Space Force lieutenant general who serves as the deputy chief of space operations for operations. He previously served as 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.

Early life and education Douglas Andrew Schiess was born on 5 February 1970, in Yucaipa, California. He had a great uncle who served in the Army during World War II. His dad served in the United States Air Force at the end of the Vietnam War. In 1988, he graduated from Yucaipa High School.

Schiess entered the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) at University of California at Los Angeles as a way to pay for college. He entered the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He immersed himself in his detachment, "learned how the military operates, that [he] found out this [was] something [he] really want to be about."

In 1996, Schiess received an M.S. in human resources management from the Central Michigan University. He also received an M.A. in organizational management in 2000 from the George Washington University. In 2004, he completed an M.S. in space systems from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He also earned an M.A. in national security strategy from the National War College in 2012. He also attended Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College by correspondence, and Air War College by correspondence as part of his professional military education. In December 2020, he relinquished command of the 45th Space Wing to Brigadier General Stephen G. Purdy and moved to Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, as deputy commanding general for operations of the newly established Space Operations Command (SpOC). Confirmed on 28 April 2022, he transferred from the Air Force to the Space Force on the same day. He was also promoted to major general, but his official promotion date was backdated to 7 May 2021. On 6 December 2023, after his confirmation to his new rank and position, CFSCC was inactivated. He was promoted to lieutenant general and became the inaugural commander of S4S.

On 7 August 2026, Schiess was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the third Chief of Space Operations and will replace Gen. B. Chance Saltzman in late August.

Personal life Schiess is married to Debbie Schiess, whom he met in 5th grade and they started dating in high school. They married halfway through college.

Awards and decorations Gen Moorman (center) presents the 2015 Thomas S. Moorman Jr. Award to Col Schiess (right) and Chief Peele (left) on behalf of the 21st Space Wing Schiess is the recipient of the following awards:

1992 Distinguished Graduate, Reserve Officer Training Corps 1993 Distinguished Graduate, Undergraduate Missile Training 1997 Outstanding Contributor, Squadron Officer School 2000 Distinguished Graduate, GPS Initial Qualification Training 2007 John J. Welch Air Force Award for Excellence in Acquisition Leadership 2009 Academic Achievement Award, Milstar Initial Qualification Training 2017 Air Force Space Command General and Mrs. Jerome F. O'Malley Award 2023 Statecraft Fellow, The Mentor Group

Dates of promotion

+ Rank Branch Date Second Lieutenant Air Force 27 June 1992 First Lieutenant 30 September 1994 Captain 30 September 1996 Major 1 April 2003 Lieutenant Colonel 1 September 2007 Colonel 1 June 2012 Brigadier General 3 August 2018 Major General 7 May 2021 Major General Space Force 28 April 2022 Lieutenant General 6 December 2023