Space Force's No. 2 General Tests Positive for COVID-19

The U.S. Space Force's second in command has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Gen. David 'DT' Thompson, vice chief of space operations, tested positive Wednesday for COVID-19, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said in a statement.

Thompson "took the test today after learning that a close family member, with whom he had contact, tested positive for the virus," Stefanek said. "In accordance with established COVID policies, General Thompson is self-quarantining and working remotely from home."

It was pointed out on social media that Thompson, who was recently promoted to general, participated during this week's National Defense Industrial Association's Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) virtual conference, and was seen broadcasting from the Pentagon.

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Last week, Thompson presided over the swearing-in ceremony of four Space Force recruits at Military Entrance Processing Station-Baltimore, Maryland.

Thompson is the third senior military leader known to have tested positive for the virus.

Earlier this month, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Gary Thomas had the virus and experienced mild symptoms. Thomas was one of at least nine senior leaders who began self-quarantining on Oct. 6 after the Coast Guard's vice commandant, Adm. Charles Ray, tested positive for the illness that same week.

Those quarantined included Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley; Vice Chairman Gen. John Hyten; Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday; Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville; Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown; Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. John "Jay" Raymond; Chief of the National Guard Bureau Gen. Daniel Hokanson; and Gen. Paul Nakasone, the head of U.S. Cyber Command.

Ray was one of several military leaders to attend a Gold Star Families event at the White House on Sept. 27, but it was not immediately clear where he may have contracted the virus. Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger, Brown, McConville and Milley also attended the Sept. 27 event at the White House.

Stefanek stressed that the Department of the Air Force, the Space Force's parent department, continues to follow the established Defense Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention policies and guidelines for COVID. "Measures include temperature testing, social distancing to the greatest extent possible, the wearing of masks when social distancing is not possible, and contact tracing and quarantining, if needed," she said.

-- Gina Harkins contributed to this report.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @oriana0214.

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