About… what… in particular? The Space Force? The uniforms? Something else?
Back in the late forty’s when it was clear that more and more activity was taking place in the air and that future battles would be fought in the air, the United States Army Air Force, who had already fought many battles in the air with Army Air Force bombers and fighters, broke away and formed the United States Air Force, relieving the Army of such broad defense responsibilities allowing the Army to focus on what it does best.
In the past few decades, the Air Force, has had the additional task of designing, acquiring, launching or deploying, and maintaining warning systems, defense satellites, missiles, and other technology to protect the US and its allies against ICBMs and other threats from space. In fact, the 14th Air Force (Space Operations Command) has existed within the Air Force for decades.
Headquartered at Vandenberg AF base in California, the 14th consists of six wings in Cali, Colorado, and Florida has Patrick AF Base, located just south of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, which is connected to the Kennedy Space Center and Patrick AFB and launches its own rockets from its own launch pads - betcha ya didn’t know that. Rockets are also launched from Vandenberg (mostly the secret ones). The 14th also has other defensive and offensive systems deployed around the world. Some of these bases and deployed systems were established in the early 90s and 80s and others go back to the 60s.
All these years, they’ve had their own infrastructure including security and police, transport, medical, etc. All within the the Air Force. The 14th has gone through multiple incarnations through the years including The 14th Aerospace Force and being deactivated and reactivated. It was first designated as Air Force Space Command in 1982 and re-designated again in 1993.
Now that China, India and others are conducting more and more activity in space and corporations have jumped in as well. North Korea and Iran and others want to be in the nuclear and missile business, the very real potential of threat from space exists and is likely to grow. So, it kinda makes sense to break off the 14th from the Air Force and let them each focus on what they do best. This is not a new thing.
The 14th Air Force is now the primary component of the newly established United States Space Force and several thousand Air Force personnel were transferred to the new command and some navy and army personnel will make the move as well.
The Space Force uniforms are essentially the same uniforms the Air Force wears, only some insignia have been changed. And yes, the Air Force wears camos too and Space Force personnel are based on the ground, not in space.
But yeah, the “Space Force” sounds pretty silly, I totally get it. It’s gonna be ripe for ridicule for some time I suppose. I wonder if the “The Air Force” sounded silly back in the forty’s.
A person in the Marines is called a Marine. Someone in the Navy is called a Sailor. The Air Force has Airmen and in the Army, they’re Soldiers. So… I wonder…???
Hey @Archie, I wonder how long it will be til the UK creates a Space Force. I betcha other countries will want a Space Force too. We’re such a trend setter ya know