SIG MMG 338 Program Series

Wanted: Ideas on Space Force Members’ Name, Ranks

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) — The U.S. Space Force is looking for feedback from U.S. military space professionals on what Space Force members should be called – similar to how the Air Force refers to its members as ‘Airmen’ or the Army refers to its members as ‘Soldiers’.

Given the significance a name has to the identity and culture of an organization, the Space Force is taking a deliberate approach to ensure Space Force member titles and ranks appropriately convey the nature of the newest Armed Forces branch and the domain in which it operates.

Toward that end, Space Force officials are soliciting ideas related to Space Force ranks, names for operational units and what Space Force members should be called collectively. They are especially interested in soliciting ideas from those currently assigned to the U.S. Space Force or those who expect to be members of the Space Force in the future.

Air Force Common Access Card holders with access to Air Force Portal should submit their ideas online by Feb. 24 through the IdeaScale website at usaf.ideascalegov.com/a/ideas/recent/campaigns/122. Space Force officials will also be reaching out to the Army, Navy and Marine Corps space communities to offer military space professionals in other services the opportunity to submit ideas.

“As we continue to forge the Space Force into a lean, agile and forward-looking 21st century warfighting branch, we want to provide space professionals the opportunity to influence what the members of our new service will be called,” said Lt. Gen. DT Thompson, U.S. Space Force vice commander. “The decisions we make today will shape the Space Force for decades to come, so we want to ensure those who will serve in the Space Force have a say when it comes to important organizational and cultural identity considerations.”

Officials emphasized several guidelines respondents must consider when submitting ideas. For example, proposals must be gender-neutral, distinctive and should emphasize a future-oriented military force. In addition, submissions cannot violate copyrights, infringe on trademarks or other intellectual property rights, or be proprietary. Any submission falling into those categories will not be considered. Submissions must also be in good taste.

Once the submission deadline closes, a panel of Space Force officials will review inputs along with other feedback received from various sources to help inform a final decision on the new Space Force member moniker. That decision, which will be made by senior Space Force leaders, will be announced publicly at a future date to be determined.

By Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

42 Responses to “Wanted: Ideas on Space Force Members’ Name, Ranks”

  1. BS says:

    SFADM – Star Fleet Admiral

  2. Sommerbiwak says:

    Rocketeers of course!

  3. Uber says:

    Starship Troopers, obviously

  4. Jim P says:

    Space Cadets?
    Cyber Operator?

  5. Crackers says:

    Spiff operator 1, Spiff Operator 2, Calvin…

  6. stewpidbear says:

    Duck Dodgers!

  7. Jones says:

    Why Space man of course!

  8. Seamus says:

    Are we seriously not gonna capitalize on calling them Space Marines?

  9. the hun says:

    “Cosmos Rangers”,Cosmos Scouts”, Cosmo(s) Seals”,
    “Space Cosmetics”!
    “Spacers”,Spacerinos”,Spacerettes”,”Spacers of Space” or
    “Space-Shippers” and of course
    “Spaceballs”!!!
    and the ranks are named after precious metals…
    Spaceball Gold rank
    and units after cities in Iowa to honour J.T.Kirk 😉
    and as a reference to the special training for space conditions recruits are called “space play dough”…

  10. Dan Tige says:

    It’s outer space so the logical choice would be “Vacuumers”. However, that doesn’t have a glorious ring to it. “Astronauts” is already taken by NASA. And we can’t be limited in our vision by present capabilities, so I propose…

    Galactists… not Galactators.

    The chance of going beyond our own galaxy in the next thousand years or so is pretty remote, so that name should be sufficient for awhile.

  11. Jk says:

    It’s simple… “spacemen” it’s airmen now isn’t it…

  12. CapnTroy says:

    Meteorman or Comet Commando

  13. some_guy says:

    I believe the word you’re looking for is “Space Ranger.”

  14. DangerMouse says:

    First, we need a military academy. The Space Force Academy. Then we can have Space Cadets.

    • SSD says:

      They’ll go to the Air Force Academy, and most likely USMA and USNA as well. They’ll be sniping for aerospace engineers and astrophysicists.

    • AbnMedOps says:

      In 1948, before there was an Air Force Academy, Heinlein anticipated a Space Academy (in Colorado Springs!), training officers for the Space Patrol, in his juvenile coming-of-age novel “Space Cadet”. (The story also anticipated the cell phone network, and the “fanny pack”)

  15. Iheartptbelts says:

    Space Troopers, star soldiers

  16. Granite John says:

    I wonder if this space force will transition eventually into just being the organization that puts military equipment into orbit, and then the Navy will take over a legitimate space fleet. (Which is a great excuse for space marines)

    My terrible ideas:
    Airman who works a desk with pictures of rockets

    Airman who works a calculator with numbers from rockets

    Airman in supply who is not allowed to touch anything related to the rockets

    Ted, the guy that flies the rockets.

  17. Joe R. says:

    Call them Intervallum.

  18. Jeb says:

    Stormtroopers…

  19. AbnMedOps says:

    First off, before this thing goes too far down the tracks, pull the Space Force OUT of the Department Of The Air Force, and re-allocate it to the Department Of The Navy.

    Reasons?
    1. I do not have confidence in the Department of The Air Force to successfully manage a potentially massive, long-term program.

    2. Air Force thinking and culture is the wrong “paradigm” (hate that word…) for what might/maybe/will/should be a Service that eventually evolves far beyond techno-dudes operating and blasting satellites and computer networks. Eventually, well within this century, there is going to be a requirement for operations in deeper space, probably including manned operation with lasting presence. A Naval “paradigm”, outlook, and vocabulary will far better set the crucial foundations for a Service that evolves into operating “ships”, conducting Coast Guard-like functions (rescue?), conducting Freedom of Navigation and “Sovereignty” missions (thinking specifically of Lunar resources – the Chinese have long been angling for exclusive control of the moon).

    • SSD says:

      Two things stand in the way of your argument. First off, most of the space budget is executed by the Air Force and has been for decades. Second, you’ve obviously never been on a Navy ship, or their ashore facilities for that matter.

      • AbnMedOps says:

        Well, you may have a point…maybe not the “black shoe” side of the Navy. They’d have all the Space War Technicians below the rank of Chief chipping meteor dust off the hull to keep busy…

  20. Terry Powell says:

    I would like to make a submission for consideration of the new names of service men and women who will serve in this new branch entitled Space Force. I believe (SPACE INVADERS) would be a great name for Space Force members.

  21. Gator59 says:

    I vote for Space Cowboy. Pending approval from Steve Miller Band, they could use the song “Space Cowboy” as the service song.

    William Shatner has his own rendition of the song!

  22. TheFull9 says:

    If it’s not Ultramarines this entire endeavour has been one giant waste.

  23. Bobbie Lloyd says:

    Voyagers

  24. Maskirovka says:

    My daughter is a junior at USAFA, an astrophysics major, and heavily involved with their space operations program. She is anticipating the possibility of commissioning into Space Force if the timing is right.

    Although it is, and will for some time be, a terrestrial-based force, ultimately there will be a manned, militarized presence. I think Space Force should (as science fiction has frequently predicted) use naval ranks and forms of address. The USMC uses similar to “army” ranks, although it belongs to the Navy, so there would be precedent for Space Force borrowing Navy ranks.

    Obviously there cannot be Seamen, so junior enlisted ranks and overall forms of address would still have to be figured out. And I don’t have the first clue what might work. :-\

    Sorry for the serious response. It looks like people prefer this to be a humor thread.

    • Thomas67 says:

      Hey Maskirovka there can be humorous and serious comments on this page. Since I don’t have a Air Force Common Access Card, I can’t submit a serious comment – but here on SSD, I can read and enjoy the jokes from others. Thanks for your serious comment and all the best for your daughter in the future.

  25. Ben says:

    Well, Starship Troopers of course…

    I would enlist tomorrow if I could call my self a Starship Trooper.

  26. 370z says:

    I’m rather partial to the generic term ‘Sentinel.’

    As far as the actual enlisted and officer structure? I’m ambivalent on the issue of naval vs. Air Force styles. I do sincerely hope that warrant officer positions are authorized and utilized either way.

  27. bulldog76 says:

    all crew chiefs will here by be known as special shuttle door gunners!

  28. Chris says:

    Voyagers

  29. Ragageur says:

    Spartans

    ODST

    Ennemy force : covenant