The United States has quite a few military branches, and they have all been around for a long time. Space Force came about in 2018 but did not become official until late 2019. Many have wondered why this branch became the newest addition to the military force and what it contributes.
According to the United States Space Force, “The U.S. Space Force (USSF) is the newest branch of the Armed Forces, established December 20, 2019.” The Space Force has been established within the Air Force Department, meaning that the Airforce runs this new branch, but it won’t for long. Next year the Space Force will have its own Joint Chiefs of Staff. So what will the Space Force do, and why do we even need it?
Space Force will be doing what the military already does, just better. Military systems in space provide vital information to troops. Satellites gather intelligence deliver GPS coordinates, and much more, and Space Force will help make sure this runs smoothly and more effectively.
According to the Department of Defense, 16,000 active duty and civilian personnel have been assigned to the Space Force and have been named the Guardians. Joining the Space Force may not exactly be easy, as they don’t plan on recruiting many people, and one must already be a member of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps to join. The organization also released the logo not that long ago, and at first glance, it will remind you of Star Trek. The motto, however, fits with the other branches, being ‘Semper Supra,’ which means “always above” in Latin.
While it may be challenging to become a Guardian, the Space Force does plan on opening registration up to more branches soon. Along with that, one does not need to be an expert on space to join, as employees won’t be going to space and won’t be doing too many space-related activities. According to Chris Archer, a Sergeant in the Army, who has applied to be in the Space Force, “The benefit is advanced technical skills as well as being able to have another outlook when it comes to my daily mission as an intelligence analyst.”
Sadly, according to NPR, the Space Force won’t be fighting aliens or shielding the Earth from asteroids anytime soon. In fact, that doesn’t enter the mission of Space Force—there exists another joint command for that. The U.S Space Command, which has been around since 1985, will be fighting the aliens. However, don’t let that discourage you; when Archer responded to what he thought about joining, he said, “ Initially I thought about transferring from the Army into the Space Force because of the new opportunities it would provide me. Being a part of a new Military branch and having a part in creating customs and traditions day to day. That drew me towards wanting to play a role in the Space Force.”
If interested in joining the Space Force, know that it will have the same benefit as other branches. According to Sgt. Archer, “The benefits of joining the Space Force are the same as any military branch. Paid tuition, technical certificates within your Military Occupational Specialty, health care, and travel.” While you will not be able to fight aliens, this branch does do important work and has the same benefits, so why not join in the future if you can?
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