United States Space Force rank insignia
United States Space Force rank insignia are used to indicate the rank and status of the United States Space Force 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 |
O-10 | O-9 | O-8 | O-7 | O-6 | O-5 | O-4 | O-3 | O-2 | O-1 | Officer candidate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATO code | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) | |
| Insignia | Various insignia | ||||||||||
| Service dress uniform (Class A) | |||||||||||
| Service uniform (Class B) | |||||||||||
| Mess dress uniform | |||||||||||
| OCP uniform | |||||||||||
| Title | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Cadet / Officer trainee |
| Abbreviation | Gen | Lt Gen | Maj Gen | Brig Gen | Col | Lt Col | Maj | Capt | 1st Lt | 2d Lt | Cdt / OT |
Enlisted insignia
| US DoD pay grade | Special | E-9 | E-8 | E-7 | E-6 | E-5 | E-4 | E-3 | E-2 | E-1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | ||
| Insignia | |||||||||||
| Title | Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman | Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force | Chief master sergeant | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Sergeant | Specialist 4 | Specialist 3 | Specialist 2 | Specialist 1 |
| Abbreviation | SEAC | CMSSF | CMSgt | SMSgt | MSgt | TSgt | Sgt | Spc4 | Spc3 | Spc2 | Spc1 |
Rank insignia wear
On the service dress uniform, metal rank insignia is worn on the shoulder straps.[3] On the OCP uniform, the Space Force's combat utility uniform, embroidered navy blue rank insignia 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 were 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.[12][13] The Space Force decided to wait until after the 2021 NDAA was passed, before moving forward with their permanent rank structure. While awaiting the passage of the NDAA, all members of the Space Force retained their respective grade and rank carried over from the Air Force.[14] On November 16, 2020, the United States Senate passed the House of Representatives' 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 NDAA removed any requirement for the Space Force to adopt naval ranks.[16][17] The official rank structure became effective on February 1, 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] The rank of 'Sergeant' replaces 'Staff Sergeant' as used by the Air Force in the pay grade of E-5.
On 20 September 2021, Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, Roger A. Towberman, announced the selected insignia.[20][21][22]
In May 2022, changes to the interim officer uniform were introduced. Buttons were changed from the Hap Arnold star and wings to the Space Force Delta.[23]
In December 2023, Congress passed the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act which permanently established the titles of commissioned officer ranks of the Space Force to be the same as the Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force.[24]
Enlisted rank insignia development
On 2 March 2021, the Space Force released a survey for guardians to give feedback on four sets of enlisted rank insignia. One version of the proposed enlisted rank insignia mirrored the current Air Force design, but with the Air Corps star replaced by the Delta, Globe, and Orbit. Another version resembled Army and Marine Corps enlisted insignia, but with the Delta, Globe, and Orbit at the bottom of the design. A third inverted the Army/Marine Corps' styled chevrons. A fourth option resembled Navy and Coast Guard rank insignia.[25]
| US DoD pay grade |
E-9 | E-8 | E-7 | E-6 | E-5 | E-4 | E-3 | E-2 | E-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 |
| Version 1 | No insignia | ||||||||
| Version 2 | |||||||||
| Version 3 | |||||||||
| Version 4 | |||||||||
| Title | Chief master sergeant | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Sergeant | Specialist 4 | Specialist 3 | Specialist 2 | Specialist 1 |
| Abbreviation | CMSgt | SMSgt | MSgt | TSgt | Sgt | Spc4 | Spc3 | Spc2 | Spc1 |
Timeline of changes
| US DoD pay grade | E-9 | E-8 | E-7 | E-6 | E-5 | E-4 | E-3 | E-2 | E-1 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | ||
| April 2020 | No insignia | ||||||||||
| Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman | Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Space Force | Chief master sergeant | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Staff sergeant | Senior airman | Airman first class | Airman | Airman basic | |
| January 2021 | No insignia | ||||||||||
| Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman | Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force | Chief master sergeant | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Sergeant | Specialist 4 | Specialist 3 | Specialist 2 | Specialist 1 | |
| September 2021 | |||||||||||
| Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman | Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force | Chief master sergeant | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | Sergeant | Specialist 4 | Specialist 3 | Specialist 2 | Specialist 1 | |
See also
References
- ^ "CMSgt Towberman sworn in as the first Senior Enlisted Advisor for the United States Space Force". United States Space Force. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
- ^ a b Seck, Hope Hodge (January 17, 2020). "Space Force Offers First Peek at Camouflage Uniform". Military.com. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- ^ "AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 36-2903" (PDF). February 7, 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 14, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
- ^ Erwin, Sandra (February 13, 2020). "Space Force soliciting opinions on members' name and ranks". Space News. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ Cohen, Rachel S. (April 18, 2020). "USAFA Graduates First Space Force Lieutenants". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
- ^ "General Officer Announcements". Archived from the original on February 9, 2021.
- ^ "Senate.gov - Nominations".
- ^ "Congress.gov, PN2172 — Space Force". September 30, 2020.
- ^ a b Kirby, Lynn (September 1, 2020). "2.4k Airmen to transfer into Space Force beginning Sept. 1". United States Space Force. Space Force Public Affairs. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
- ^ White, Kayla (September 3, 2020). "AUAB Airmen make history as first deployed Space Force members". United States Space Force. 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved September 11, 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 (July 21, 2020). "Space Admiral? House Lawmakers Want Navy Ranks for Space Force". Military.com. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ "How will the Space Force impact me". spaceforce.mil. United States Space Force. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ a b "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. December 3, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
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 (December 4, 2020). "Space Force Won't Be Forced to Use Navy Ranks, Lawmakers Decide". Military.com. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ^ Pawlyk, Oriana (January 29, 2021). "These Are the Official Space Force Ranks". Military.com. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ^ Cohen, Rachel S. (January 29, 2021). "Space Force to Adopt 'Specialist,' Other New Ranks Feb. 1". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ^ @SpaceForceDOD (September 20, 2021). "Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force Roger A. Towberman announced today the new design of the #SpaceForce's enlisted rank insignia" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Hadley, Greg (September 20, 2021). "Space Force Reveals Insignia for Enlisted Ranks". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
- ^ Toropin, Konstantin (September 20, 2021). "The Space Force Finally Has Its Own Rank Insignia". Military.com. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
- ^ Novelly, Thomas (May 24, 2022). "Space Force Will Allow Neck Tattoos, Longer Mustaches and More Makeup Options for Guardians". military.com/. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ Rep. Rogers, Mike D. [R-AL-3] (December 22, 2023). "H.R.2670 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024". Congress.gov. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Altman, Howard (March 4, 2021). "Guardians, the Space Force wants you to help determine your enlisted rank insignia". Air Force Times. Retrieved March 6, 2021.