(American Legion)
On Dec. 20, 2019, the U.S. Space Force – the newest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces – was officially instituted with the signing of legislation by President Donald Trump. On the occasion of the Space Force’s birthday, here are some facts the intervening year may have buried.
1. The Space Force previously existed within the Air Force since 1982, as the Air Force Space Command. (mentalfloss.com)
2. The first official member of the Space Force to be sworn in is its most senior officer: Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. Raymond. (mentalfloss.com)
3. The branch’s motto is Semper Supra – “always above.” (mentalfloss.com)
4. The initial uniforms are “utilizing current Army/Air Force uniforms, saving costs of designing/producing a new one," according to a Space Force source. "Members will look like their joint counterparts they'll be working with, on the ground." (cnet.com)
5. The Air Force Academy's class of 2020 included 86 graduates set to become the Space Force’s first company-grade officers. (cnet.com)
6. On Sept. 15, 2020, a virtual mass swearing-in was held for about 2,400 troops transferring into the Space Force from locations around the world. (militarybenefits.info)
7. On Dec. 10, 2020, the first seven people to enlist directly in the Space Force graduated from basic training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. (af.mil)
8. It took no special action for Space Force members to become eligible to join The American Legion, as the organization’s charter only indicates active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.
9. The Space Force flag was unveiled at the White House in May 2020; by October, Alpharetta American Legion Post 201 in Georgia had obtained one and was flying it above their post home. (legiontown.org)
Photo Credit: U.S. Space Force Tech. Sgt. Eric Mistrot, 324th Training Squadron military training instructor, stands in front of his flight during a graduation ceremony on Dec. 10, 2020, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Seven members of the graduating class are the first Space Force trainees to graduate. (U.S. Air Force photo by Sarayuth Pinthong)