Senate Confirms New AFGSC Commander, Deputy Chiefs of Operations for Air Force and Space Force

The Senate confirmed hundreds of military nominations the evening of Nov. 30, including a new Air Force four-star, deputy chiefs in charge of operations for both the Air Force and Space Force, and dozens of general officers in the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. 

Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere is now set to pin on his fourth star and become commander of Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), succeeding Gen. Anthony J. Cotton, who is set to become the head of U.S. Strategic Command in the coming days. 

Space Force Maj. Gen. DeAnna M. Burt, meanwhile, will get her third star and take over as deputy chief of space operations for operations, cyber, and nuclear—the position previously held by Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, the new Chief of Space Operations. 

Also included in the raft of confirmations was Lt. Gen. James C. “Jim” Slife, who currently serves as commander of Air Force Special Operations Command and will now shift over to become the Air Force’s next deputy chief of staff for operations. 

Bussiere and Burt were both nominated for their new jobs in mid-October but had to wait as Congress focused on the midterm elections and the resulting power shifts and leadership changes. Slife, on the other hand, had to wait less than two weeks for his nomination to the Air Staff to be approved. 

Burt and Slife are ascending to key roles on the Space Staff and Air Staff, respectively, where they’ll be responsible for providing “policy, guidance, and oversight for … operations, training, and sourcing” of their respective branch’s personnel and capabilities, as well as representing their respective service’s operations to the Joint staff. 

Given the Space Force’s leaner structure with only a few leaders overseeing directorates, Burt is also responsible for overseeing the Space Force’s cyber and nuclear capabilities. 

Bussiere, meanwhile, will lead the Air Force’s major command responsible for both its intercontinental ballistic missiles and its long-range strike bombers. In particular, he’ll take on the new role just as the Air Force publicly rolls out the B-21 Raider, its first new bomber in decades. The B-21 still must undergo testing and make its first flight sometime in 2023. ICBM modernization efforts are also still ongoing with the new LGM-35 Sentinel (formerly called the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent). 

Bussiere comes to AFGSC having previously served there as special assistant to the commander and inspector general in two prior stints. He’s also flown B-1 and B-2 bombers, as well as F-15s and F-22s, and has commanded at the at squadron, group, wing, and Numbered Air Force levels. Currently, he is deputy commander of STRATCOM. 

Burt has spent the past few months as a special assistant to the Chief of Space Operations. But she only moved to that role while waiting for Saltzman to succeed Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond and leave the deputy chief spot open. Previously, she commanded the Combined Force Space Component Command, a multi-national subordinate command of U.S. Space Command, where she was dual-hatted as vice commander of Space Operations Command.

Slife has led AFSOC since June 2019. Before that, he served consecutive assignments as chief of staff and vice commander for U.S. Special Operations Command, in addition to stints as a top planner for U.S. Central Command. He has also commanded special operations Airmen at the squadron, group, and wing levels. 

While Bussiere, Burt, and Slife were the highest-ranking Department of the Air Force officers included in the promotions approved by the Senate, 692 were approved in total, including 80 colonels and brigadier generals across the Air Force Active-duty, Guard, and Reserve components who will either get their first or second star. 

The full list of officers promoted to brigadier general or major general is as follows: 

Active-duty Air Force 

  • Col. Christopher A. Brown 

Air National Guard 

  • Brig. Gen. Konata A. Crumbly 
  • Brig. Gen. Kenneth S. Eaves 
  • Brig. Gen. Robert G. Kilgore 
  • Brig. Gen. Gary A. McCue 
  • Brig. Gen. Bryan E. Salmon 
  • Brig. Gen. Bryan J. Teff 
  • Brig. Gen. Denise M. Donnell 
  • Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Harris II 
  • Col. Lisa M. Ahaesy 
  • Col. Jenifer E. Pardy 
  • Col. Tad J. Schauer 
  • Col. Kristof K. Sills 
  • Col. Paul M. Bishop 
  • Col. Tyler D. Buckley 
  • Col. Scott C. Humphrey 
  • Col. Christopher A. Jarratt 
  • Col. Jennifer R. Kondal 
  • Col. Gregory R. Lewis 
  • Col. Kenneth Lozano 
  • Col. Ileana Ramirez Perez 
  • Col. Linda A. Rohatsch 
  • Col. Jeremiah S. Tucker 
  • Col. Keith C. Wilson 
  • Col. Christopher A. Eason 
  • Col. Amy P. Kremser 
  • Col. Kallie D. Kuehl 
  • Col. Reid J. Novotny 
  • Col. Humberto Pabon Jr. 
  • Col. Jonathan L. Vinson 
  • Col. Justin T. Wagner 

Reserve 

  • Brig. Gen. Troy T. Daniels 
  • Brig. Gen. Terrence L. Koudelka Jr. 
  • Col. Steven A. Breitfelder 
  • Col. Jason S. Christman 
  • Col. Christopher G. Batterton 
  • Col. Daniel J. Begin 
  • Col. Matthew G. Brancato 
  • Col. Matthew D. Calhoun 
  • Col. Andrew J. Camacho 
  • Col. Barry F. Deibert 
  • Col. Michael J. DiDio 
  • Col. George H. Downs 
  • Col. Megan H. Erickson 
  • Col. Christopher D. Gries 
  • Col. Michael S. Griesbaum 
  • Col. Jason L. Hawk 
  • Col. Shawn E. Holtz 
  • Col. Shawne M. Johnson 
  • Col. Mitchell R. Johnson 
  • Col. Brian D. Kile 
  • Col. Jason W. Knight 
  • Col. Jason L. Knobbe 
  • Col. Daniel J. Kramer II 
  • Col. Quaid H. Quadri Jr. 
  • Col. Christopher J. Southard 
  • Col. Trace N. Thomas 
  • Col. Kenneth A. Borchers 
  • Col. Gene C. Buckner 
  • Col. Richard L. Coffey III 
  • Col. Martin L. Hartley Jr. 
  • Col. Raymond L. Hyland Jr. 
  • Col. Patrick L. Lanaghan 
  • Col. Joshlin D. Lewis 
  • Col. Brian S. McCullough 
  • Col. Mark L. Miller 
  • Col. Adam T. Rice 
  • Col. Ronald N. Speir Jr. 
  • Col. Joseph H. Stepp IV 
  • Col. Todd E. Swass 
  • Col. John A. Conley 
  • Col. Scott A. Coradi 
  • Col. Christopher M. Dunlap 
  • Col. Matthew J. French 
  • Col. Nathan W. Kearns 
  • Col. Joseph F. Morrissey Jr. 
  • Col. Beverly G. Schneider 
  • Col. Lane A. Thurgood 
  • Col. Brian J. Tollefson