Chief Master Sgt. John Bentivegna, 14th Air Force command chief, Maj. Gen. John Shaw, 14th Air Force commander, and Col. Anthony Mastalir, 30th Space Wing commander, clap as the National Defense Authorization is signed establishing the United States Space Force Dec. 20, 2019, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The mission of the U.S. Space Force is to protect the interests of the United States in space; deter aggression in, from and to space; and conduct space operations. The United States Space Force is an independent military service that will develop space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities that enable our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines. U.S. Space Force responsibilities will include developing military space professionals, acquiring military space systems, maturing the military doctrine for space power, and organizing space forces to present to our Combatant Commands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Hanah Abercrombie)
Source: Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB)
By order of Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrett, effective Dec. 20, 2019, Fourteenth Air Force was officially redesignated as Space Operations Command.
Air Force military and civilian personnel previously assigned to Fourteenth Air Force are now assigned to SPOC by virtue of the redesignation action.
The SPOC is directly supporting the U.S. Space Force’s mission to protect the interests of the United States in space; deter aggression in, from and to space; and conduct space operations.
On Dec. 20, 2019, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, officially establishing the USSF as the sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces.
In accordance with a redesignation memorandum for record signed by Barrett, Maj. Gen. John E. Shaw, former Commander, Fourteenth Air Force, was redesignated as Commander, Space Operations Command; in addition to Shaw’s role as U.S. Space Command’s Combined Force Space Component Commander.
The SPOC provides space capabilities such as Space Domain Awareness, space electronic warfare, satellite communications, missile warning, nuclear detonation detection, environmental monitoring, military Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance, navigation warfare, command and control, and Positioning, Navigation and Timing, on behalf of the USSF for USSPACECOM and other Combatant Commands.
“It is an honor and privilege to lead the U.S. Space Force’s Space Operations Command. Every day, all around the planet, people count on us to make a difference – to provide a space-enabled combat edge to the warfighters that keep our country, our Allies, and our partners safe. We will not let them down,” said Shaw.
Additional details about SPOC will be available in early 2020 – highlighting Space Operations Command’s critical roles and responsibilities in support of national security objectives.
https://www.edhat.com/news/vandenberg-redesignated-as-space-force-operations-command