The Space Force hit another milestone Friday on its road to standing up the U.S. military’s sixth branch of service, unveiling a service flag at the White House.
Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond and senior enlisted adviser Chief Master Sgt. Robert Towberman were on hand to present the flag to President Trump.
“We’re now the leader in space,” Trump said.
The flag resembles the seal released in January, with an arrowhead set in front of a globe, accented by stars.
The new service is working to transfer 16,000 airman previously assigned to Space Command to be the first operators and support personnel assigned to Space Force, with a goal of completion by the end of the year.
After that initial block, the service will begin recruiting troops from the Army and Navy’s space units.
“We are moving out at full speed, and I’m really, really pleased with the progress we’re making on establishing the Space Force," Raymond told reporters in late March, as coronavirus pandemic measures began to affect Defense Department operations.
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At the time, it was expected that the service would unveil several more tidbits of its cultural and personnel establishment at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs in early April, though that gathering has been rescheduled for early November.
Announcements on rank insignia, dress uniforms and a term for Space Force troops are still forthcoming.
Raymond and Towberman are currently the only personnel officially serving in the Space Force. Towberman joked with Trump that not only is he the highest ranking noncommissioned officer in the service, he’s the only one.
Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members.
