Stephen Newman Whiting (born September 14, 1967) is a United States Space Force general who serves as the commander of the United States Space Command. He previously served as the first commander of Space Operations Command from 2020 to 2024.[1]
Stephen Whiting | |
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 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Born | September 14, 1967 Ocean Springs, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
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| Years of service | 1989–present |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | |
| Awards | |
| Alma mater | |
| Signature |  |
Whiting entered the United States Air Force in 1989 as a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. He is a space operations officer, commanding the 13th Space Warning Squadron, the 614th Air and Space Operations Center and Joint Space Operations Center, the 21st Space Wing, and the Combined Force Space Component Command and Fourteenth Air Force. He has also served staff assignments at the Air Force headquarters, United States Space Command, United States Strategic Command, the Chief of Naval Operations’ Strategic Studies Group, the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Air Force Space Command. Whiting transferred to the Space Force in 2020.
Whiting transferred to the Space Force in 2020 and became the first commander of Space Operations Command. In 2024, he was promoted to general and took command of the U.S. Space Command.
Early life and education
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Whiting was born on September 14, 1967, in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.[2] He studied at Ocean Springs High School, where he was a class officer and member of the soccer team that won four state championships.[3][4]
In 1989, Whiting received a B.A. degree in aeronautical engineering from the United States Air Force Academy as a distinguished graduate. He then received an M.A. in administrative sciences (organizational management) in 1997 from the George Washington University. He also has M.A. degrees in military operational arts and sciences from the Air Command and Staff College and airpower strategy from the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. He has also attended the Senior Executives in National and International Security program of the Harvard Kennedy School in 2017. He has also studied in the Squadron Officer School and Joint Forces Staff College as part of his professional military education.[5]
Military career
editAir Force
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Whiting was commissioned into the United States Air Force as a second lieutenant on May 31, 1989, as a distinguished graduate from the United States Air Force Academy. First assigned to UPT Columbus AFB MS. (14th Flying training squardron), failed out in Nov 89. He was then reassigned to Lowry AFB CO. A year later, he finished undergraduate space training atat Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado, as the top graduate and distinguished graduate. From 1990 to 1993, he served on his first operational assignment at the 6th Space Warning Squadron at Cape Cod Air Force Station in Massachusetts as a crew commander, deputy chief of training, and chief of standardization and evaluation.[5]
As a captain, Whiting served as a radar systems officer at the 21st Operations Support Squadron in Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado from 1993 to 1994. After that, he served a year as the executive officer for the 21st Operations Group. In 1995, he was reassigned to Washington, D.C. as an Air Force intern while he studied at the George Washington University. From 1997 to 1999, he was stationed at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado as UHF Follow-On satellite satellite vehicle operator, crew commander, and operations flight commander for the 3rd Space Operations Squadron.[5]
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Whiting was promoted to major on July 1, 1999. At this time, he was working as an operations officer for the 22nd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base. From 2000 to 2002, he studied at the Air Command and Staff College and School of Advanced Air and Space Studies at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. After studying, he was assigned as a regional policy officer at the United States Space Command, during which time the combatant command was disestablished, thereby he continuing this role at United States Strategic Command West. After that assignment, he was selected to serve as special assistant to the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, Admiral James O. Ellis, for a year.[5]
In July 2004, Whiting took command of the 13th Space Warning Squadron at Clear Air Force Station, Alaska. He relinquished command a year later when he was selected as an Air Force fellow at the RAND Corporation. From June 2006 to June 2008, he served as commander of the 614th Air and Space Operations Center and director of the Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. After his second command tour, he was selected as a Chief of Staff U.S. Air Force Fellow assigned at the Chief of Naval Operations' Strategic Studies Group in Newport, Rhode Island.[5]
From August 2009 to June 2011, Whiting served as commander of the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base. After that, he served as a military assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, for whom he also served as senior military assistant.[5]
On July 8, 2013, Whiting was promoted to brigadier general and assigned as vice commander of the Air Force Warfare Center. Two years later, he was selected to lead Air Force Space Command's (AFSPC) Space Enterprise Vision Team. After that, he was assigned as director of integrated air, space, and cyberspace and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance of AFSPC. In 2017, he also served as the lead for the Joint Force Space Component Command (JFSCC) Integration Team.[5]
In December 2017, Whiting took command of the Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF) and became deputy commander of JFSCC. In August 2019, JFSCC was inactivated and the U.S. Space Command was reestablished. Consequently, the Combined Force Space Component Command (CFSCC) was stood up and he took command of the new unit. Three months later, in November 2019, he relinquished command of CFSCC and 14AF to Major General John E. Shaw and became deputy commander of AFSPC.[5]
Space Force
editOn December 20, 2019, the United States Space Force was established and AFSPC was temporarily designated as Headquarters, United States Space Force. Whiting thus continued to serve as deputy commander of Headquarters, United States Space Force. In August 2020, he was one of the first general officers nominated to transfer to the Space Force and promoted to general. He was also selected to serve as the first commander of Space Operations Command (SpOC).[6] On October 21, 2020, SpOC was established and Whiting became its first commander.[7]
In July 2023, Whiting was nominated for promotion to general and appointment as commander of the United States Space Command.[8][9] He was confirmed on December 19, 2023.[10] On January 10, 2024, he took command of the United States Space Command from General James H. Dickinson.[11] In February 2024, he released his strategic vision as commander of the combatant command.[12][13]
Personal life
editWhiting is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Whiting. His father is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel. He married Tammy Lynn Preslar on June 1, 1989.[14][15]
Awards and decorations
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Whiting is the recipient of the following awards:[5]
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Command Space Operations Badge |
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Basic Cyberspace Operator Badge |
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Office of the Secretary of Defense Badge |
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United States Space Command Badge |
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Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters |
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Defense Superior Service Medal |
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Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf cluster |
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Defense Meritorious Service Medal |
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Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster |
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Air Force Commendation Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster |
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Air Force Achievement Medal |
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Joint Meritorious Unit Award |
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Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four bronze oak leaf clusters |
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Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with one bronze oak leaf cluster |
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Combat Readiness Medal |
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National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star |
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Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
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Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon |
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Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters |
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Air Force Training Ribbon |
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French National Order of Merit (Knight)[16] |
Dates of promotion
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| Rank | Branch | Date |
|---|---|---|
 Second Lieutenant |
Air Force | May 31, 1989 |
 First Lieutenant |
May 31, 1991 | |
 Captain |
May 31, 1993 | |
 Major |
July 1, 1999 | |
 Lieutenant Colonel |
March 1, 2002 | |
 Colonel |
March 1, 2006 | |
 Brigadier General |
July 8, 2013 | |
 Major General |
May 2, 2017 | |
 Lieutenant General |
Space Force | October 21, 2020 |
 General |
January 10, 2024 |
Writings
edit- Whiting, Stephen N. (2003). "Space and Diplomacy: A New Tool for Leverage". Astropolitics. 1 (1): 54–77. Bibcode:2003AstPo...1...54W. doi:10.1080/1477-760391832516. S2CID 143339687.
- Policy, Influence, and Diplomacy: Space as a National Power Element (PDF) (M.S.). School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. June 2002. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 1, 2021.
References
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- ^ "Space Force stands up operations command in Colorado Springs". SpaceNews. October 21, 2020. Archived from the original on July 15, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
- ^ "Persons born on 14 September 1967, Stephen D. Oppenheim to TERESA L. CRAFT". sortedbybirthdate.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ^ "8 Jun 1985, 15 - The Sun at". Newspapers.com. June 8, 1985. Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
- ^ WLOX Staff (October 22, 2020). "Ocean Springs native named commander of Space Force first field command". www.wdam.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "General Stephen N. Whiting". United States Space Force. January 2024. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
- ^ Martin, Nichols (July 30, 2020). "Maj. Gen. Stephen Whiting Nominated to Lead Space Operations Command".
- ^ "Space Force activates first field command". United States Space Force. October 21, 2020.
- ^ "PN827 — Lt. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting — Space Force, 118th Congress (2023-2024)". U.S. Congress. July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
- ^ Hitchens, Theresa (July 12, 2023). "Biden nominates Space Force's Whiting to head SPACECOM". Breaking Defense. Archived from the original on July 15, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
- ^ "Senate confirms top military nominees, ending Tuberville's hold over promotions". POLITICO. December 19, 2023.
- ^ "USSPACECOM welcomes Whiting as third commander". United States Space Command. January 10, 2024.
- ^ "USSPACECOM releases updated Strategic Vision". United States Space Command. February 21, 2024.
- ^ Whiting, Stephen (February 20, 2024). "USSPACECOM Strategic Vision" (PDF). United States Space Command.
- ^ "Stephen and Tammy Whiting, from left, Robert Ramsden, and Vanessa and Steven Cleveland (Marian Umhoefer/Las Vegas Review-Journal)". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "21 May 1989, 54 - Sun Herald at". Newspapers.com. May 21, 1989. Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
- ^ "Lt. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting receives French National Order of Merit". Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.