Trump announces he's directing Pentagon to create 'space force' branch ...

[OldGuy]

https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/nation-world/trump-announces-hes-directing-pentagon-to-create-space-force-branch-of-military/507-565332483

President Donald Trump is announcing that he is directing the Pentagon to create the 'Space Force' as an independent service branch.

Trump said Monday that "we are going to have the space force" which he deemed a "separate but equal" branch of the military.

Trump says the United States will "be the leader by far" in space and looks to revive the nation's flagging space program.

The president framed space as a national security issue, saying he does not want "China and Russia and other countries leading us."

Trump also vowed to soon return the United States to the moon and to reach Mars.

Trump was joined by Vice President Mike Pence, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin and members of his space council.

[RiverAux]

I'd suspect that you need some new laws to create an entire new branch that is equal to the others. 

[OldGuy]

I'd suspect that you need some new laws to create an entire new branch that is equal to the others.

Yep.

[Username: unavailable]

I think it's a good idea in theory, it just may take a bit of time to get established (go figure... a new branch of the military is difficult to make  ).  We were one of the last world powers to establish an independent Air Force, and we paid the price during WWII, so I think this is preferable to that.

[darkmatter]

I hope it goes no where

[MSG Mac]

The Air Force has already claimed responsibility for Air and Space. In order to establish a "Space Force' Congress would have to authorize it and the DoD would have to justify the establishment of the new service. This is not about to happen in the next several years. The USA currently has no space stations, and no definition of exactly what the Space Force will do. In addition we have several international treaties which define space as a non-military area. The establishment of the force will fall into the realm of Captain Dale Brown's, fiction genre, but is not practical at this time. 

[MIKE]

Space Shuttle Door Gunner specialty hashed out yet?

[Username: unavailable]

I hope it goes no where

Great forward-thinking attitude!

The Air Force has already claimed responsibility for Air and Space. In order to establish a "Space Force' Congress would have to authorize it and the DoD would have to justify the establishment of the new service. This is not about to happen in the next several years. The USA currently has no space stations, and no definition of exactly what the Space Force will do. In addition we have several international treaties which define space as a non-military area. The establishment of the force will fall into the realm of Captain Dale Brown's, fiction genre, but is not practical at this time. 

All that he called for was for them to start the process... If there's one thing I've learned through CAP, it's that if a process doesn't start early, it won't finish on time; Especially one as large-scale as this.

Space Shuttle Door Gunner specialty hashed out yet?

Not sure, but when it is I got dibs 

[RiverAux]

All that he called for was for them to start the process..

There isn't much that DoD can do to "start the process" other than write some position papers to put in front of Congress.  There is probably enough leeway that they could rename the AF's Space Command to "Space Force" but it would still be part of the AF.

[PHall]

You all ready for the Civil Space Patrol?

[Holding Pattern]

You all ready for the Civil Space Patrol?

I read the manual.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Cadet

[Mitchell 1969]

Finally, USCG gets a chance to say "you're not real military."

I wonder how long before Air Force Times runs a letter from a USAF TSgt alleging that he ran into a Space Force Auxiliary officer hanging around the BX trolling for salutes?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[sardak]

Don't forget the OSP - Operational Space Patterns  Night and Day

Mike

[SarDragon]

And my favorite question pops up again - Who is going to pay for this?

[Holding Pattern]

And my favorite question pops up again - Who is going to pay for this?

The same people paying for the other branches.

[Brit_in_CAP]

You all ready for the Civil Space Patrol?

I read the manual.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Cadet

One of my favorite books as a teenager!

[NIN]

Space Shuttle Door Gunner specialty hashed out yet?

I've been asked to write the SFSC task guide and stand up the school house.  I'll call when I need instructors.

[Luis R. Ramos]

For the life of me, I thought I was not going to see any more camos.

So, what will the rank insignia look like? I propose:

1 rocket, Space Lieutenant
2 rockets, Planetary Lieutenant
3 rockets, Captain
1 solar system, Major
2 solar systems, Space Colonel
3 solar systems, Planetary Colonel
1 constellation, General

[LGM30GMCC]

Some folks here seem to be under the impression you need people in space in order to have a space force. Air Force Space Command might politely object.

Already the AF handles most (but not all) space lift, space surveillance, space warning (think ground-based radars that are primarily pointed into space and space-based IR), space control (deconfliction/control of satellites). Take the current busses (meaning frames that house the non-mission components...i.e. power, heaters/coolers, etc) that aren't controlled by the USAF and consolidate those under the new space force and you have a pretty good mission set.  You can also add on whatever Army space does (I really have little idea, Space 100 was over 10 years ago for me now). I would be curious what happens with ICBMs...AFGSC was supposed to be a nuclear command but that's already been diluted a bit with the introduction of the B-1s. Who knows if the USAF just cuts ICBMs loose. It wouldn't really shock me, and the new Space Force might want them so they have some 'shooters'. (Not that AFSPC took particularly good care of the ICBMs when they had that mission set.)

As for funding/establishment yeah that'd be up to Congress to officially set-up and finalize. The areas that will likely cause fights are the loss of some GOFO billets across the services. They may also choose to save money (go figure) by having the Space Force be to the USAF what the USMC is to the USN.

We'll see what happens. Who knows...maybe I won't finish my career in the USAF like I planned.   

[MHC5096]

Sounds like another money wasting "Border Wall" fiasco to me. So much for fiscal conservatism. 

Don't hold your breath on this one. I suspect that CAP will be wearing OCPs long before this comes to fruition.

[Eclipse]

[PHall]

Well, nothing is going to happen until congress says it's going to happen.
They're the one's who control the money and as we all know nothing happens without money.
And many members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees agree with the Generals,
it's not needed and is a solution in search of a problem.

[sarmed1]

If this were to move beyond the scope of the existing USAF responsibility my guess is it would evolve to some form of joint command that reports directly to DoD rather than as a new "6th" service.  Much in the same was as SOCOM exists.

MK

[Johnny Yuma]

Space Shuttle Door Gunner specialty hashed out yet?

Only available for those who wash out of the Imperial Storm Trooper Indoctrination Course...

[Johnny Yuma]

Easy solution:

Reorganize NASA as a uniformed service under Title 10 and place them under the Secretary of Defense. Transfer budget, personnel and operations of both NASA, National Reconnaissance Office and USAF Space Command to new service with its senior leader a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

You're welcome.

[Cliff_Chambliss]

A little respect here would go a long way.  President Trump has a title and good manners say it should be used.

[TheSkyHornet]

Well, nothing is going to happen until congress says it's going to happen.
They're the one's who control the money and as we all know nothing happens without money.
And many members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees agree with the Generals,
it's not needed and is a solution in search of a problem.

Not to mention that the United States Constitution specifically enumerates the power to Congress to establish the military, and the President to exercise executive authority over it.

[THRAWN]

Easy solution:

Reorganize NASA as a uniformed service under Title 10 and place them under the Secretary of Defense. Transfer budget, personnel and operations of both NASA, National Reconnaissance Office and USAF Space Command to new service with its senior leader a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

You're welcome.

Merge NASA with the commercial space branch in the FAA. Take the Star Force out of the existing military space commands. Transfer their troops, equipment, budgets and bases to the new branch. Just change the letter heads. You're welcome.

[Johnny Yuma]

Easy solution:

Reorganize NASA as a uniformed service under Title 10 and place them under the Secretary of Defense. Transfer budget, personnel and operations of both NASA, National Reconnaissance Office and USAF Space Command to new service with its senior leader a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

You're welcome.

That'd work too.

I never understood why they never made NASA a uniformed service not unlike NOAA and UHS anyway.
Merge NASA with the commercial space branch in the FAA. Take the Star Force out of the existing military space commands. Transfer their troops, equipment, budgets and bases to the new branch. Just change the letter heads. You're welcome.

[Eclipse]

One of the main reasons NASA was created as a civilian agency was to promote the peaceful use of space, which is why defense and intelligence
missions are handled by the USAF, not NASA (at least on paper.)