What is the US Space Force?

Did you know? There’s a new service branch of the military in town and its name is the United States Space Force (USSF).

On December 20, 2019, when President Trump signed the National Defense Act (NDAA) into law with a stroke of the pen, the U.S. Space Force was born.

With the recent missions by NASA and even SpaceX, the opportunity to boldly go where no man has gone before is becoming more evident. Right before our very eyes, this opens the door to fresh warfighting territory that needs protecting – space.

We are headed into truly seeing what the military will be like in the future.

The World’s Only Independent Space-Focused Force

According to Space Force, “Space has become essential to our security and prosperity.” Think about how our country and our nation’s military get intel or information.

The information comes from GPS and satellite systems in space. We use satellites to navigate land, communicate with each other and to track and gather data like the weather, for example.

As of right now, the U.S. is the only country with an independent force dedicated to space. Our nation has branches of the military dedicated to defending the land, air, and sea.

So, it’s crucial that these assets and means of disseminating information located in space be preserved.

Three Burning Questions People Ask About the Space Force

Since there’s an organization tasked with handling the constantly evolving space domain, everyone wants to know:

What is the purpose of the space force, really?
What does it do; and
What will it be?

Well, the team at Empire Resume scoured the internet to answer those head-scratching questions and share what we know about United States Space Force.

1. What Is the Purpose of Space Force?

The Space Force is situated within the U.S. Air Force. It exists to conduct space warfare and space operations.

It lives by the Delta symbol and motto, Sempur Supra, which means “Always Above.” The U.S. Space Force’s symbol honors the heritage of the USAF and Space Command.

Before we move on to what the Space Force does, let’s discuss what the space force is not about.

Space Force will not be engaging in sending military members to space. If you’re picturing a military movie combined with sci-fi, just remove that image from your mind.

“It will not be protecting Earth from asteroids or aliens,” as stated by Todd Harrison, Director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center For Strategic & International Studies, in an article with NPR.

2. What Does the Space Force Do?

The mission of the Space Force is as follows:

The Space Force is a military service that organizes, trains, and equips space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint force.

Its responsibilities include developing military space professionals, acquiring military space systems, maturing the military doctrine for space power, and organizing space forces to present to our Combatant Commands.

Before Space Force, all space operations were handled by the U.S. Space Command (SPACECOM), a major command within the U.S. Air Force.

Space Command’s personnel were highly engaged with the operation of military space technology. The Space Force was created to take over these responsibilities.

3. What Will the Space Force Be?

On the 1-year anniversary of the newest branch of the military, Vice President Pence announced that members of the United States Space Force will be known as guardians.

Now that we’re taking what it means to safeguard and protect to new heights, Guardians will stand alongside soldiers, airmen, sailors, and Marines to defend this country for years to come.

“Guardians is a name with a long history in space operations, tracing back to the original motto of the 1983 Air Force Space Command, ‘Guardians of the High Frontier,’” according to Space Force.

Currently, roughly 16,000 military and civilian space personnel have been assigned to the organization. So far, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Patrick Air Force Base in Florida have been designated as U.S. Space Force bases.

And, on January 13, 2021, the Air Force announced that space command headquarters will be located in Huntsville, Alabama, also known as Rocket City.

Are you interested in what this high-speed organization is wearing? As of right now, the Space Force does not have an official uniform. But the USSF is being cost-effective. They are wearing current Army and Air Force uniforms, saving budget costs of creating new ones, according to CNN.

Uniform decisions are still in the works. The Space Force is so new that it still hasn’t established an official song and rank structure. Its current rank structure is similar to the U.S. Air Force.

As the US Space Force joins the U.S. Intelligence Community, it’s overall objective is to keep humanity safe and monitor threats to U.S. satellites and other space-based assets. We’re sure it will be the most powerful space entity in the world.

Did you enjoy learning about the all-new U.S. Space Force? Join Empire Resume’s military blog next week for more military, veteran, and military-to-civilian transition-based insight. If you want to be a part of this ground breaking space-focused organization, we can help you spruce up your resume, cover letter, or even your LinkedIn profile. Call 801-690-4085 or emailinfo@empireresume.com to begin achieving career success today.

Dr. Phillip Gold is President/CEO of Empire Resume and has vast experience writing resumes for service-members transitioning from the military into civilian roles. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force responsible for leading nuclear missile security. Phillip is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and holds a BA in Communications from The Ohio State University, an MS in Instructional Technology, an MBA in Finance, and a PhD in Finance.