Gen. Chilton confirmed to head USSTRATCOM

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WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  The commander of Air Force Space Command received Senate confirmation Sept. 28 to be the new commander of U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

"I am humbled by the confidence that the secretary of Defense and the president have put in me with the nomination, and humbled by (the Senate's) consideration for this very important position," said Gen. Kevin P. Chilton.

General Chilton is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1976. A Guggenheim fellow, he completed a master of science degree in mechanical engineering at Columbia University. He flew operational assignments in the RF-4C and F-15 Eagle and is a graduate of the Air Force Test Pilot School. General Chilton conducted weapons testing in various models of the F-4 and F-15 prior to joining the NASA in 1987. At NASA he flew on three space shuttle missions and served as the deputy program manager for operations for the International Space Station program.

He is a command astronaut pilot with more than 5,000 flight hours in the F-4, F-15, OV-104A and OV-105A (space shuttles Atlantis and Endeavor), T-38 Talon, U-2 and VC-11, and the B-52 Stratofortress.

He has served as the commander of Air Force Space Command commander since June 2006, where he has lead more than 39,700 space professionals providing combat forces and capabilities to North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Strategic Command. 

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