What Do You Call a Space Force Service Member?

Feb 8, 2021 | Your Source

Since the Space Force was first stood up, one question has been what we will call the men and women filling its ranks. While there have been many humorous guesses such as Spacemen and Space Cadets, some are simply built on practicality such as Space Forcemen and Space Marines. In December, former Vice President Mike Pence put the guessing to an end when he announced that our newest DOD service members, standing alongside Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen, will be called Guardians.

Now we can also tell you what ranks those Guardians will hold:

Grade Rank Abbreviation Terms of Address
E1 Specialist 1 Spc1 Preferred term is Specialist but Spec1 or Specialist 1 are both acceptable
E2 Specialist 2 Spc2 Preferred term is Specialist but Spec2 or Specialist 2 are both acceptable
E3 Specialist 3 Spc3 Preferred term is Specialist but Spec3 or Specialist 3 are both acceptable
E4 Specialist 4 Spc4 Preferred term is Specialist but Spec4 or Specialist 4 are both acceptable
E5 Sergeant Sgt Sergeant
E6 Technical Sergeant TSgt Sergeant or Technical Sergeant or Tech Sergeant
E7 Master Sergeant MSgt Sergeant or Master Sergeant
E8 Senior Master Sergeant SMSgt Senior or Senior Master Sergeant
E9 Chief Master Sergeant CMSgt Chief or Chief Master Sergeant
E9 Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force CMSSF Chief or Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force
O1 Second Lieutenant 2d Lt Second Lieutenant or Lieutenant
O2 First Lieutenant 1st Lt First Lieutenant or Lieutenant
O3 Captain Capt Captain
O4 Major Maj Major
O5 Lieutenant Colonel Lt Col Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel
O6 Colonel Col Colonel
O7 Brigadier General Brig Gen Brigadier General or General
O8 Major General Maj Gen Major General or General
O9 Lieutenant General Lt Gen Lieutenant General or General
O10 General Gen General

 

Crowdsourced feedback on rank names was collected from the field and was part of the decision-making process. Guardians will wear Air Force rank insignia until the Space Force finalizes its own rank insignia designs, which is expected sometime in the coming months. The service will announce opportunities for Guardians to contribute feedback during the design process.

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