John W. Raymond


John William "Jay" Raymond is a general in the United States Space Force and serves as the Space Force's first chief of space operations. He also concurrently serves as the commander of United States Space Command and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Prior to being unilaterally transferred to the Space Force, he served over 35 years in the United States Air Force. While in the Air Force, he was still serving as the commander of U.S. Space Command and also concurrently served as the commander of the Air Force Space Command and as commander of Joint Force Space Component. Prior to that, he served as the deputy chief of staff for operations, headquarters United States Air Force at the Pentagon. Raymond has been deployed to serve in the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War.
He assumed his command of Air Force Space Command on October 25, 2016, Joint Force Space Component on December 1, 2017, United States Space Command on August 29, 2019, and as the chief of space operations on December 20, 2019.

Early life and education

Raised in Alexandria, Virginia, Raymond is the son of Barbara Ryan and John Allen Raymond; his father is a 1958 graduate of the United States Military Academy. Since 1865, his family has had graduates from West Point, including his great great grandfather, great grandfather, grandfather, and father. He graduated from Clemson University with a degree in administrative management and was commissioned an officer in the United States Air Force in 1984. The following year, he was assigned to the 321st Strategic Missile Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base.

Military career

From 1989 to 1993, Raymond was an operations center officer controller with the 1st Strategic Aerospace Division and Executive Officer of the 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg Air Force Base. In 1993, he was assigned to Air Force Space Command.
In 1997, Raymond was stationed at The Pentagon. He remained there until 2000, at which time he assumed command of the 5th Space Surveillance Squadron located at RAF Feltwell in England. The following year, Raymond returned to the United States and became Deputy Commander of the 21st Operations Group. From 2003 to 2005, he was assigned to the Office of the United States Secretary of Defense.
In 2005, Raymond returned to Vandenberg Air Force Base and assumed command of the 30th Operations Group. He held that position until 2007, when he was named Commander of the 21st Space Wing. In 2009, Raymond was reassigned to Air Force Space Command as Director of Plans, Programs and Analyses. From December 2010 to July 2012, Raymond served as Vice Commander, 5th Air Force, and Deputy Commander, 13th Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan. From July 2012 to January 2014, Raymond served as Director of Plans and Policy, United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base. From January 2014 to August 2015, Raymond served as Commander, Fourteenth Air Force, Air Force Space Command, and Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space, United States Strategic Command, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. After that, he returned the Pentagon to serve as the deputy chief of staff for the headquarters of the Department of the Air Force.
, where he was appointed first Chief of Space Operations, December 20, 2019
Raymond was nominated for promotion to the rank of general and to the command of Air Force Space Command on September 8, 2016. This nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 15.
On March 22, 2019, Raymond was nominated to become the commander of United States Space Command. The appointment was confirmed by the Committee on Armed Services on June 12 and later the United States Senate on June 27. Raymond was appointed Space Force's first chief of space operations on December 20. According to President Donald Trump, "With today's signing I will proudly appoint Gen. Jay Raymond the first chief of space operations and he will become the very first member of the Space Force and he will be on the Joint Chiefs."

Awards and decorations