Spc. Klay Walker, left, and Spc. Alexander Best with the 4th Space Company, 1st Space Battalion, establish expeditionary communications with a 1.2 meter Hawkeye antenna at Fort Carson, Colorado, Sept. 20, 2023. (Army photo by Dottie White) The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
By: FEDweek StaffThe Army is introducing a new space-operations military occupational specialty for enlisted personnel. Soldiers selected for the MOS would be trained as experts in interdicting and disrupting adversaries’ efforts to achieve dominance in space.
“We know from all the Army warfighting concepts that we need space capability,” said Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey, commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. “These soldiers will become the experts we turn to during the next conflict.”
Support provided by space-operations soldiers would help their comrades in conventional and special-operations fields better protect themselves and prevail in combat situations. The creation of the new MOS would expand the pool of experts beyond what is now generally limited to commissioned offices.
“Establishing the Space Operations MOS is a zero-growth effort,” said Command Sgt. Maj. John Foley, senior NCO with the service’s space and missile defense command. “A space enlisted MOS will help stabilize career progression and retention for soldiers and NCOs who temporarily leave their current MOSs for three years to support space operations.”
Soldiers who have been previously loaned to the space community will move back to their air defense, signal and intelligence units. The Army’s manpower authority will move to space operations for accessions that would be open to every MOS within the service.
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