United States Space Force rank insignia
United States Space Force rank insignia are used to indicate the rank and status of its officers and enlisted personnel. Equivalency between the military services is indicated by associated NATO code and pay grade.[1]
Insignia
Officer insignia
US DoD pay grade |
Officer candidate | O-1 | O-2 | O-3 | O-4 | O-5 | O-6 | O-7 | O-8 | O-9 | O-10 | Special grade |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NATO code | OF(D) | OF-1 | OF-2 | OF-3 | OF-4 | OF-5 | OF-6 | OF-7 | OF-8 | OF-9 | OF-10 | |
Insignia | Various insignia |
Not established | ||||||||||
Service dress uniform | ||||||||||||
OCP uniform | ||||||||||||
Title | Cadet / Officer trainee |
Second lieutenant | First lieutenant | Captain | Major | Lieutenant colonel | Colonel | Brigadier general | Major general | Lieutenant general | General | |
Abbreviation | Cdt / OT | 2d Lt | 1st Lt | Capt | Maj | Lt Col | Col | Brig Gen | Maj Gen | Lt Gen | Gen |
Enlisted insignia
US DoD pay grade |
E-1 | E-2 | E-3 | E-4 | E-5 | E-6 | E-7 | E-8 | E-9 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NATO code | OR-1 | OR-2 | OR-3 | OR-4 | OR-5 | OR-6 | OR-7 | OR-8 | OR-9 | ||||||
Service dress uniform | No insignia | ||||||||||||||
OCP uniform | |||||||||||||||
Title | Specialist 1 | Specialist 2 | Specialist 3 | Specialist 4 | Sergeant | Technical sergeant | Master sergeant | First sergeant | Senior master sergeant | First sergeant | Chief master sergeant | First sergeant | Command chief master sergeant | Chief master sergeant of the Space Force | Senior enlisted advisor to the chairman |
Abbreviation | Spc1 | Spc2 | Spc3 | Spc4 | Sgt | TSgt | MSgt[note 1] | SMSgt[note 1] | CMSgt[note 1] | CMSSF | SEAC | ||||
|
Rank insignia wear
On the service dress uniform metal rank is worn on the epaulets.[3] On the OCP uniform, the Space Force's combat utility uniform, embroidered navy blue rank is worn on an OCP patch on the center of the chest.[2]
History
The creation of the Space Force marked the first time since the 1947 creation of the Air Force that a new branch was created. This created an interest in the rank structure and insignia. In February 2020, it was announced that the Space Force would ask military space professionals for opinions on ranks.[4]
Eighty-six graduates of the United States Air Force Academy class of 2020 commissioned directly into the USSF, becoming the service's first new officers and second lieutenants.[5] On July 28, 2020, four general officers from the Air Force were nominated to transfer to the Space Force in their current grade of major general, and then be promoted to lieutenant general.[6][7] On August 6, 2020, a number of Air Force officers are being transferred to the Space Force in the ranks of major, lieutenant colonel and colonel. [8] On September 1, 2020, the Air Force transferred 2410 active-duty airmen to the Space Force to become enlisted space professionals.[9] The space professionals were all transferred to the Space Force in their current enlisted ranks.[9][10]
The Space Force was set to announce its new rank structure in late August 2020 but decided to delay it temporarily,[11] as a proposed amendment included in the United States House of Representatives's version of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act would require the Space Force to adopt a rank structure based on that of the United States Navy for its officers and enlisted space professionals.[13] The Space Force will wait until after the 2021 NDAA is passed, before moving forward with their permanent rank structure. Until then, all members of the Space Force currently retain their respective grade and rank carried over from the Air Force.[14] On November 16, 2020, the Senate passed the House of Representative's version of the NDAA, but attached an amendment which would remove the clause requiring the Space Force to adopt naval ranks, and sent it back to the House for consideration.[15] The House unanimously disagreed with the Senate's amendment and sent the amended bill back to their armed services committee on November 18, for consideration of passage.[15] The final version of the National Defense Authorization Act removed any requirement for the Space Force to adopt naval ranks.[16][17] The official rank structure became effective on 1 February 2021,[18] which includes the rank of specialist being used for paygrades E-1 to E-4 for the first time since the Army discontinued its use of multiple specialist ranks in 1985.[19] It has also been confirmed that the Space Force will continue to use the Air Force enlisted rank design until a majority of guardian feedback is collected for the creation of its own unique design.[20]
See also
References
- "CMSgt Towberman sworn in as the first Senior Enlisted Advisor for the". United States Space Force. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
- Seck, Hope Hodge (17 January 2020). "Space Force Offers First Peek at Camouflage Uniform". Military.com. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- "AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 36-2903" (PDF). 7 February 2020.
- Erwin, Sandra (13 February 2020). "Space Force soliciting opinions on members' name and ranks". Space News. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
- Cohen, Rachel S. "USAFA Graduates First Space Force Lieutenants". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- General Officer Announcements
- Senate.gov - Nominations
- Congress.gov, PN2172 — Space Force
- Kirby, Lynn (1 September 2020). "2.4k Airmen to transfer into Space Force beginning Sept. 1". United States Space Force. Space Force Public Affairs. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
- White, Kayla (3 September 2020). "AUAB Airmen make history as first deployed Space Force members". United States Space Force. 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
- Pawlyk, Oriana (August 27, 2020). "Space Force Was Set to Announce Its New Rank Structure. Then, Congress Stepped In". Military.com. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- Pawlyk, Oriana (21 July 2020). "Space Admiral? House Lawmakers Want Navy Ranks for Space Force". Military.com. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "How will the Space Force impact me". spaceforce.mil. United States Space Force. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
- "H.R.6395 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 - All Actions". Congress.gov. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
- "H. Rept. 116-617 - Joint Explanatory Statement of the Committee of Conference" (PDF). United States House of Representatives. 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
Rank and grade structure of the United States Space Force - The House bill contained a provision (sec. 927) that would require the Space Force to use a system of ranks and grades that is identical to the system of ranks and grades used by the Navy. The Senate amendment contained no similar provision. The House recedes.
- Pawlyk, Oriana (2020-12-04). "Space Force Won't Be Forced to Use Navy Ranks, Lawmakers Decide". Military.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
- Pawlyk, Oriana (2021-01-29). "These Are the Official Space Force Ranks". Military.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
- Cohen, Rachel S. (2021-01-29). "Space Force to Adopt 'Specialist,' Other New Ranks Feb. 1". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
- https://www.kktv.com/2021/01/30/space-force-changing-the-name-of-some-ranks/