General Saltzman assumed command at a critical moment. He inherited a service that had established its foundational structures and, under his leadership, accelerated the transition to operational readiness. He consistently emphasized a clear purpose: building a Space Force capable of achieving space superiority and delivering combat power for the Joint Force. His focus on “Competitive Endurance,” the development and employment of combat-ready forces, and a disciplined approach to force design helped give the service a coherent framework for confronting an increasingly contested and competitive domain.

Among his most consequential contributions was his determination to instill a warfighting ethos across the force. During his tenure, the Space Force strengthened its operational posture, expanded realistic training and exercises, refined its approach to space warfighting, and reorganized key elements around the generation and presentation of combat forces. The 2025 establishment of Combat Forces Command represented an important milestone in that evolution. By the end of his tenure, General Saltzman could point to Guardians executing real-world combat missions and delivering space effects in support of U.S. and allied operations.

General Saltzman also championed transformation in acquisition and capability development. He pressed for faster delivery of resilient capabilities, a clearer understanding of the future fight, and greater integration of government, industry, allies, and partners. His leadership helped advance the Space Force’s emphasis on resilient architectures, commercial integration, international partnerships, and the technological agility required to stay ahead of rapidly evolving threats. He understood that maintaining U.S. space superiority will require not simply better systems, but a different way of designing, acquiring, training, and employing them.

NSSA is especially grateful for General Saltzman’s openness to the broader national security space community. He recognized the indispensable contributions of industry, investors, academia, allies, and other partners in strengthening the Nation’s space enterprise. That spirit of partnership has been central to NSSA’s mission, and we are proud to have worked alongside the Space Force during this formative period.

As General Saltzman hands over the watch, NSSA offers him its sincere thanks for his leadership, service, and friendship to the national security space community. We wish Salty and his family every happiness and success in retirement. His legacy will be measured not only in the policies, organizations, and capabilities he helped establish, but in the Guardians he led and the culture of readiness and responsibility he helped create.

NSSA looks forward with equal enthusiasm to working with General Doug Schiess, the next Chief of Space Operations, and with the entire Space Force team. The challenges facing the Nation in space are growing, but so is the strength of the enterprise General Saltzman helped build. NSSA remains fully committed to supporting the United States Space Force, its Guardians, and its mission to secure U.S. interests in, from, and to space. Semper Supra!