Unit stands up at Vandenberg

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Erica Stewart
  • 30th Space Wing Public Affairs
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) --  U.S. Strategic Command officials have split a single function into two in order to transform and enhance U.S. space capabilities. The Joint Functional Component Command for Space and Global Strike has been divided into JFCC for Space and JFCC for Global Strike and Integration.

The split, initially proposed by Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force chief of staff, and ordered by General Cartwright, was directed to allow each JFCC to focus more effectively on its primary mission. Doing so allows for better support to the warfighter with optimized planning, execution and force management for each mission area.

JFCC SPACE was activated with a unit stand-up ceremony here Sept. 26. JFCC GS&I is slated to be activated in July 2007.

The command of JFCC SPACE was presented to Maj. Gen. William L. Shelton, 14th Air Force commander, by Marine Gen. James Cartwright, STRATCOM commander.

"Our prime mission directive in JFCC SPACE is to ensure our freedom of action in space, while preventing adversary use of space against us," General Shelton said. "In 30 short years, space capabilities have progressed from national leadership support to a vital, tactical level enabling capabilities for American and allied joint military operations."

General Cartwright expounded on the roles of JFCC SPACE.

"This organization is meant to spearhead the transformation in space, the realization that things are fundamentally different and that we must adjust the way we do business, how we organize and how we present capability is transformation," General Cartwright said.

JFCC SPACE will optimize planning, execution and force management. JFCC SPACE is directed by USSTRATCOM, with the assigned missions of space control, space support, space force enhancement and space force application.

General Shelton's duties as the commander of JFCC SPACE include serving as the single point of contact for military space operational matters to plan, task, direct and execute current and future joint space operations.

"We look forward to a continued influx of people as we build for the full capability of this command," General Shelton said. "We will do our part as JFCC SPACE to provide the space support that will help win this global war on terror."

"It is your good fortune to be here at this place and at this time because you are making history," he said.

Today, USSTRATCOM JFCC's area of responsibility include: space; integrated missile defense; global strike and integration; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and network warfare.