Space Force Affirms New Focus

Late in the Cold War a stand-alone command was considered necessary to de-conflict space operations between the military services, as each branch had space capabilities of its own. The first iteration of the Space Command was created in 1985 to provide joint command and control for all military space operations.

GW Bush’s administration needed to pare its number of commands, and it was decided that the Space Command was dispensable. Its responsibilities were then assumed by the U.S. Strategic Command. SecDef Rumsfeld opined the outcome would “eliminate redundancies in the command structure and streamline the decision-making process.”

In 2018 proponents of creating the Space Force cited the need to consolidate responsibility for space acquisitions, personnel, and operations under one service. Air Force leadership was staunchly opposed to all of this.

The Trump administration ultimately decided to proceed with reestablishing the Space Command 2019 August and created the Space Force that December.

Space Force reframes mission to ‘secure’ US interests ‘in, from and to’ space

“The phrase in, from, and to space is a direct reference to the core functions of the Space Force. Guardians secure our Nation’s interests in space through space superiority activities that protect the Joint Force and the Nation from space and counterspace threats,” wrote Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman in a memo obtained by Breaking Defense.

By THERESA HITCHENS

WASHINGTON — In a new “Commander’s Note” to Guardians today, Space Force chief Gen. Chance Saltzman revealed a snappy new “mission statement” for the service that implies a broad mandate for future warfighting: “secure our Nation’s interests in, from, and to space.”

In his 16th “C-Note,” obtained by Breaking Defense, Saltzman explains that while the Space Force doesn’t get to determine its actual mission — that is the job of the president and Congress — it does get to choose “the words we use to describe the mission.”

Saltzman further took the time to explain some of the rational for words chosen.

Breaking Defense

CEO Chance here apparently subscribes to the Kamala Harris school of insulting the audience’s intelligence, but at least the bunch has a brand-new mission statement. I am filled with confidence in the vision our Commander-In-Chief has for our Space Force’s mission and am equally impressed with the updated verbiage. Unfortunately they managed to omit the part about being a solution in search of a problem.

 

Category: Big Pentagon, Space Force