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Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force
CMSSF service cap badge
CMSSF flag
Incumbent John F. Bentivegna since 15 September 2023 (15 September 2023)
United States Space Force Space Staff
Style	Chief
Type	Senior enlisted advisor
Abbreviation	CMSSF
Member of	The Space Staff
Reports to	Chief of Space Operations
Residence	Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
Appointer	Chief of Space Operations
Formation	3 April 2020
First holder	Roger A. Towberman
Salary	$9,786.00 per month, regardless of the incumbent's service longevity
Website	Official Website

The chief master sergeant of the Space Force (CMSSF) is the senior enlisted advisor to the chief of space operations and the secretary of the Air Force. The chief master sergeant of the Space Force is the most senior enlisted guardian in the U.S. Space Force, unless an enlisted guardian is serving as the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman.

Appointment and responsibilities

The chief of space operations appoints the chief master sergeant of the Space Force and is designated a special paygrade above E-9. To be appointed, the appointee must have at least 22 years of service and must have been a chief master sergeant for at least three years.

The chief master sergeant of the Space Force is the highest noncommissioned officer in the Space Force. The chief serves as the senior enlisted advisor to both the chief of space operations and the secretary of the Air Force on all matters regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, proper utilization, and progress of Space Force enlisted members and their families.

History

The inaugural chief master sergeant of the Space Force, Chief Master Sergeant Roger A. Towberman, was sworn in on 3 April 2020, having previously served as the command chief master sergeant of the Air Force Space Command, and concurrently serving as the senior enlisted leader of the United States Space Command. In addition to being the first chief master sergeant of the Space Force, he is also the second member of the Space Force and its first enlisted member.

The position was originally known as the senior enlisted advisor of the Space Force (SEASF) from 3 April 2020 until it was renamed on 1 February 2021 to chief master sergeant of the Space Force (CMSSF).

In 2023, five chief master sergeants were considered to replace Towberman who is slated to retire. They went through a series of tests, which included an interview by an occupational psychologist, a mock U.S. Congress testimony, a mock town hall with airmen, and an interview with senior Space Force officials, that would guide General B. Chance Saltzman's selection. On May 5, 2023, Saltzman selected John F. Bentivegna to replace Towberman and serve as the second chief master sergeant of the Space Force. His assignment was announced on May 8, 2023.

Insignia

The first rank insignia worn by the chief master sergeant of the Space Force, was based upon the rank insignia of the Air Force's chief master sergeant rank insignia, with other components, such as the two stars, designed to be consistent with the senior enlisted advisor rank of the other services. The delta, orbit, and globe elements at the center of the rank were taken from the seal of the United States Space Force. However, unlike the insignia of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force which has a Laurel wreath around the central star within the rockers, the CMSSF insignia does not. On 20 September 2021, new insignia for all enlisted in the Space Force was introduced, including the CMSSF.

• Rank insignia
• 2020–2021
• 2021–present

List of chief master sergeants of the Space Force

No.	Portrait	Name	Term			Chief of Space Operations	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Chief Master Sergeant Roger A. Towberman (born 1967/1968)	3 April 2020	15 September 2023	3 years, 165 days	John W. Raymond B. Chance Saltzman
2		Chief Master Sergeant John F. Bentivegna (born c. 1976)	15 September 2023	Incumbent	1 year, 95 days	B. Chance Saltzman

Timeline

Heritage portraits

Former chief master sergeants of the Space Force have portraits on permanent display in the Pentagon.

• CMSSF Roger A. Towberman (2020–2023)

See also

• Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
• Sergeant Major of the Army
• Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
• Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
• Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
• Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
• Senior Enlisted Advisor for the National Guard Bureau

References

1. "A $1.8 Million Home for Space Force's Top Enlisted Leader Is Included in the 2023 Budget Request". www.military.com. 29 April 2022.
2. "Monthly rates of Basic Pay (Enlisted) - Effective January 1, 2023".
3. ^ Keller, MSgt Sara (3 April 2020). "CMSgt Towberman sworn in as the first Senior Enlisted Advisor for the U.S. Space Force". United States Space Force Public Affairs. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
4. ^ Novelly, Thomas (28 April 2023). "Here Are the 5 Candidates Who Could Be the Space Force's Next Top Enlisted Leader". Military.com.
5. Pawlyk, Oriana (29 January 2021). "These Are the Official Space Force Ranks". Military.com. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
6. "Chief Master Sgt. John Bentivegna selected as next Chief Master Sergeant of the U.S. Space". United States Space Force. 8 May 2023.
7. SpaceForceDOD Twitter, "Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force Roger A. Towberman announced today the new design of the #SpaceForce's enlisted rank insignia."
8. Hadley, Greg (20 September 2021). "Space Force Reveals Insignia for Enlisted Ranks". airforcemag.com. Air Force Magazine. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
9. Toropin, Konstantin (20 September 2021). "The Space Force Finally Has Its Own Rank Insignia". Military.com. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
10. "CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT OF THE SPACE FORCE ROGER A. TOWBERMAN". www.spaceforce.mil. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
11. "CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT JOHN F. BENTIVEGNA". www.spaceforce.mil. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
12. "SecAF unveils portrait of first CMSSF". United States Space Force. 12 July 2024.

v t e United States enlisted ranks

Pay gradeBranch of service E-1 E-2 E-3 E-4 E-5 E-6 E-7 E-8 E-9 Special Army PVT PV2 PFC   SPC – CPL SGT SSG SFC   MSG – 1SG¹   SGM – CSM    SEANGB – SMA – SEAC Marine Corps Pvt PFC LCpl Cpl Sgt SSgt GySgt   MSgt – 1stSgt¹   MGySgt – SgtMaj    SMMC – SEAC Navy SR SA SN PO3 PO2 PO1 CPO   SCPO – CMDCS    MCPO – CMDCM – FORCM, FLTCM   MCPON – SEAC Air Force AB Amn A1C SrA SSgt TSgt   MSgt – 1st Sgt¹   SMSgt – 1st Sgt¹    CMSgt – 1st Sgt¹ – CCM    SEANGB – CMSAF – SEAC Space Force Spc1 Spc2 Spc3 Spc4 Sgt TSgt MSgt SMSgt CMSgt   CMSSF – SEAC Coast Guard SR SA SN PO3 PO2 PO1 CPO SCPO    MCPO – CMC – DMCPOCG MCPOCG For the Army and Air Force, first sergeants are temporary and lateral ranks and are senior to their non-diamond counterparts, while Marine Corps first sergeants have no lateral movement within paygrade and is a permanent rank. The rank insignia is used by other Coast Guard senior enlisted leaders.

v t e United States Space Force
Leadership	Department of the Air Force Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force Space Staff Chief of Space Operations Vice Chief of Space Operations Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force Director of Staff Deputy Chiefs of Space Operations General Officers Generals Lieutenant Generals Oversight House Armed Services Committee Strategic Forces subcommittee Senate Committee on Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee
Structure	Field commands Space Futures Command Space Operations Command Commander Space Systems Command Commander Space Training and Readiness Command Commander Component Field Commands United States Space Forces Central United States Space Forces Europe and Africa United States Space Forces Indo-Pacific United States Space Forces Korea United States Space Forces – Space Deltas Space Delta 1 Mission Delta 2 Mission Delta 3 Mission Delta 4 Space Delta 5 Space Delta 6 Space Delta 7 Space Delta 8 Space Delta 9 Space Delta 10 Space Delta 11 Space Delta 12 Space Delta 13 Space Delta 15 Space Delta 18 Space Delta 21 Space Delta 23 Space Delta 26 Space Launch Delta 30 Mission Delta 31 Space Launch Delta 45 Space Base Delta 1 Space Base Delta 2 Space Base Delta 3 Squadrons 1st Delta Operations 319th Combat Training 328th Weapons 392d Combat Training 533rd Training 21st Operations Support 15th Space Surveillance 18th Space Defense 19th Space Defense 20th Space Surveillance 3rd Combat Training 4th EW 5th EW 16th EW 23rd EW 2nd Space Warning 3rd satellite Communications 5th Space Warning 6th Space Warning 7th Space Warning 10th Space Warning 11th Space Warning 12th Space Warning 13th Space Warning 55th Combat Training 21st Space Operations 22nd Space Operations 23rd Space Operations 62nd Cyberspace 63rd Cyberspace 64th Cyberspace 65th Cyberspace 68th Cyberspace 69th Cyberspace 645th Cyberspace 71st ISR 72nd ISR 73rd ISR 74th ISR 75th ISR 76th ISR 1st Space Operations 2nd Navigation Warfare 3rd Space Operations 4th Space Operations 10th Space Operations 53rd Space Operations 527th Space Aggressor 1st Test and Evaluation 3rd Test and Evaluation 17th Test and Evaluation 25th Space Range 2nd Space Launch 5th Space Launch 1st Range Operations NSSI Direct reporting units Space Development Agency Space Rapid Capabilities Office Space Warfighting Analysis Center
Locations	Space Force Bases Buckley Los Angeles Patrick Peterson Schriever Vandenberg Space Bases Pituffik Space Force Stations Cape Canaveral Cape Cod Cavalier Cheyenne Mountain Clear Kaena Point New Boston
Personnel and training	Astronauts Awards and decorations Badges Ranks Training Academy Reserve Officer Training Corps Officer Training School Basic Military Training Uniforms
History and traditions	Delta Flag History Seal "Semper Supra" Air & Space Forces Association Space Force Association Former wings and deltas 21st Space Wing 50th Space Wing 460th Space Wing Space Training and Readiness Delta (Provisional)

• Chief Master Sergeants of the Space Force
• Enlisted ranks of the United States Space Force
• Senior Enlisted Advisor