By BlueShift | 2024-12-30

The US Space Force (USSF) has grown significantly since it stood up just five years ago, and per its motto "Semper Supra" (Always Above), the only way is up for the Guardians.

The USSF was established on December 20, 2019, condensing all US military space operations into a unified command.

The first new branch of the US armed services since 1947, the Space Force assumed control over all legacy space projects and infrastructure, expanding the existing military footprint in space while forging a new direction for US space dominance.

Meet the Guardians

USSF Commander Gen. B. Chance Saltzman on December 17 outlined the service's stellar accomplishments over the past five years.

"Space is the backbone of the joint force," Saltzman said during an event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC. "Without it, we cannot project military power."

"Unfortunately, we're not the only nation that's recognized the strategic value of space superiority. Adversaries have aggressively developed and fielded counter-space threats."

Over the past five years, the USSF has increased its budget and the number of service members considerably, he said.

"On average, we have tripled in size every year for the last five years in personnel, an astounding growth rate for any government organization," Saltzman said.

"We have reimagined operations, redefined policies [and] reworked processes from the ground up to forge a service purpose-built for great power competition," he said. "All of this in just five years."

The Space Force has supported an increase in the speed of space launches by nearly 500%, Saltzman said.

It has shared space situational awareness data with 34 foreign nations and provided position navigation and timing (PNT) services to Global Positioning System (GPS) users around the world.

Since its creation, the Space Force has recruited over 14,000 military and civilian personnel, including approximately 9,400 active duty Guardians.

The Space Force derives significant advantages from its workforce, having yet to miss a recruiting target.

The average age of an enlisted recruit skews older, to 22 years old. About 40% of Space Force’s enlisted recruits have already earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Some Guardians have pivoted from successful private sector careers.

Upon commissioning or enlistment, Guardians begin military careers specializing in fields such as intelligence, cyber and space operations, engineering, and acquisitions.

Space Force operations

Like other branches of the military, the Space Force maintains a global presence with 46 bases and installations across 18 states and territories. Its primary hubs are located in California, Colorado and Florida.

While its operations may sound like the content of a science fiction novel, the Space Force hardens against real threats.

"Space has become the foundation for not only our military forces but also for our way of life," USSF Gen. Michael Guetlein said in an interview on CBS News December 20.

"Not only is it GPS, but GPS drives our ATM networks, it drives our infrastructure. Without GPS we couldn't get goods to the shelves [or] ambulances to the hospital, our infrastructure wouldn't work," he said.

"And it is up to the 15,000 men and women Guardians that we have today in the [USSF] to protect and defend and ensure that capability will be available for the war fighters as well as for our nation during times of peace as well as during crisis," Guetlein said.

Just as the other military branches safeguard US interests across domains, the Space Force plays a crucial role in protecting civil and military assets in space.

Through an advanced network of space surveillance sensors, it monitors the position of orbiting satellites and tracks space debris, ensuring the safety and functionality of vital space systems.

Guardians are tasked with command and control of all Department of Defense (DoD) satellites to maintain climate monitoring, communications and navigation capabilities.

The Space Force also operates Upgraded Early Warning Radars (UEWR), advanced phased-array systems strategically deployed at bases worldwide. These radars can detect and classify ballistic missile threats with precision and speed.

The service manages all space launch operations at the East and West Coast Launch Deltas which house launching operations for DoD, NASA and commercial space companies.

Military of the future

Its small size and relative youth offer the Space Force an agility unfamiliar to most militaries. Unburdened by a deeply embedded culture, its leadership has been able to create transformative career paths and training opportunities.

In September, Space Force's top enlisted leader, Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna, announced an ambitious structure that focused on incorporating continuous assessments of Guardians' strengths and interests.

The force plans to modernize the promotion system for early enlisted, emphasizing the development of skills.

Bentivegna anticipates the potential for needing more senior enlisted personnel.

"There is going to be a need for master sergeants specifically to do more tactical leadership with increased responsibilities," he said during a keynote address September 17 at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference at National Harbor, Maryland, Air & Space Forces Magazine reported.

This would be a deviation from current structures where senior enlisted have a smaller share of the tactical, day-to-day responsibilities.

Bentivegna hopes to reward the skills honed by senior enlisted personnel by keeping them tactically engaged, rather than sending Space Force’s most highly trained personnel to management positions.

"That's a complete pivot where we're going: where our senior leaders are going to be just as responsible for the readiness and training and execution of operations as their teammates," he said.

"When I talk about the future, I want to really hammer home the expectation that you never lose that requirement to be operationally relevant."