CSO notice to Guardians: Day One message to the force Published Sept. 3, 2026 By Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas A. Schiess Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Guardians,Serving as your Chief of Space Operations is the greatest honor of my professional life. My wife, Debbie, and I are excited to serve you, your families, and our nation in this new role. As Guardians, we have a sacred charge: be prepared to fight and win our nation’s wars by achieving and maintaining space superiority. Securing this no-fail mission as a part of the Joint Force demands the collective, synchronized power of our entire Guardian team – enlisted, officer, and civilian. Our purpose is not confrontation, but deterrence, ensuring no adversary ever doubts our capability or resolve.Our path forward is illuminated by the leaders and Guardians who built the foundation we stand on today. General Raymond, our first CSO, shouldered the immense responsibility of establishing the Space Force as the first Guardian and building our service from the ground up. Guardians in this era forged our structure, culture, and purpose while simultaneously ensuring uninterrupted space support to the Joint Force.In our second era, General Saltzman cemented our warfighting foundation, maturing our force design, sharpening our warfighting focus, and establishing the principles that guide how we operate in, from, and to the space domain. Through battle-tested execution in Operations EPIC FURY, MIDNIGHT HAMMER, and ABSOLUTE RESOLVE, Guardians proved unequivocally that space is a critical arm of the Joint Force. Yet our job is not done.Our initial standup proved the strength of our force; now, we must capitalize on our foundation and evolve to meet the demands of a new era. As we drive our deliberate growth and execution, we will arm our Guardians to acquire, field, operate, and exploit the full spectrum of capabilities required to secure decisive space superiority. Integrating into the Joint Force demands a rapid scaling of both our manpower and space capabilities. We must grow with intention, leveraging our industry partnerships to advance our weapon systems and the way we fight. To fully empower our Guardians, we must develop advanced warfighting concepts, continue to push training and testing beyond the status quo, and build seamless integration with our Allies and partners.Guardians, you are the focus and engine of this future era; together, we will own this moment. Driven by your initiative and unwavering commitment to our core values, we will remain permanently postured to fight and win – not only today, but for decades to come. Thank you for your willingness to serve the world’s greatest Space Force and a grateful nation.Semper Supra!