VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Commander, Space Operations Command, Maj. Gen. John E. Shaw, and Command Chief Master Sgt. John F. Bentivegna, addressed members of Vandenberg Air Force Base with U.S. Space Force Personnel Director, Col. David L. Stanfield, to explain U.S. Space Force structure and how reorganization will impact various career fields March 11, 2020.
This took place as part of the “Space Force Roadshow,” an initiative for Space Force leadership to inform service members and answer questions from installations across the country.
“We are talking about a national security perspective of an entirely new domain that is under threat; and the Space Force is one way we are going to address that (threat),” asserted Shaw.
Leadership communicated the importance of the Space Force as it relates to the future of warfighting in an expansive area of responsibility.
“Space is distinct from the domains the Army, the Navy, the Marines, and the Air Force conduct operations in today, we had to stand up a separate service that was dedicated to developing professionals who are able to understand and succeed in that domain,” said Bentivegna.
The U.S. Space Force mission is to organize, train, and equip space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint force. This differs from U.S. Space Command’s mission to deter aggression and conflict, defend U.S. and allied freedom of action, deliver space combat power for the Joint/Combined force and develop space forces to advance U.S. and allied interests in, from, and through the space domain.
“When you have a warfighting domain that is unique, you want to have a force that is dedicated from the very beginning in growing its people, its expertise, its capability sets, and the way that it fights in, to, and through that domain,” Shaw said.
Under guidance in the President’s Space Policy Directive-4, and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 Space Force Provisions, the U.S. Space Force will be agile, lean, and mission-focused. Similar to the relationship between the Marine Corps under the Department of the Navy, the USAF will provide force support functions, whereas the USSF will consist of 80 percent mission-focused career fields. The Air Force will maintain organic force support specialties such as contracting, security forces, cyber warfare, finance, scientists, missile maintenance, and personnel, said Stanfield.
This means space operator specialties (13S, 1C6) and shared specialties such as Engineers (62E), Acquisition (63A), Cyber (17X, 3D0, 3D1), and Intelligence (14N, 1N0, 1N1, 1N2, 1N4, 1N8) will have the option to apply to transfer as early as May 1, 2020. Once the application timeline is finalized, AFPC will contact all eligible officers via email, as well as through commander notifications.
“The transfer will have no impact your pay, entitlements, or access to medical care,” said Stanfield.
Accessions into the USSF will begin with the addition of United States Air Force Academy graduates on May 28, 2020. Reserve Officer Training Corps, Officer Training School, and enlisted accessions will have the opportunity to join Oct. 1, 2020 with the new fiscal year.
“This is just the beginning. Whether you are going to be in the Space Force as one of the organic career fields, you’re going to apply here in May, or you’re a part of the Air Force where you won’t transfer over, we will still need you to be part of the Space Force team,” said Shaw.
For additional information about joining U.S. Space Force, contact your chain of command, visit www.spaceforce.mil, or contact a recruiter.