A Space Force officer poses for a detailed photo of his new patches after commissioning into the USSF on Buckley Air Force Base, Colo., Jan. 5, 2021. (Joshua T. Crossman/U.S. Space Force)
WASHINGTON — Space Force has decided on the names for its ranks, and while officers will keep the same names that they have in the Air Force, several enlisted ranks have changed, according to a memorandum released Friday.
The service-wide memo is the most recent change for Space Force personnel after it was announced in December that they would be referred to as “guardians.” The rank changes will start Feb. 1.
For the junior enlisted who are E-1 to E-4, they will no longer be “airman” but “specialist,” and then depending on their grade, the rank will include numbers 1 through 4, according to the memo provided by the Air Force.
For example, an E-3 will go from airman first class to specialist 3, or Spc3, in Space Force. They can be addressed as specialist, Spec3, or specialist 3, according to the memo.
Guardians who are E-5 will no longer be a staff sergeant but a sergeant in the Space Force. Grades E-6 to E-9 with names technical sergeant, master sergeant, senior master sergeant and chief master sergeant will remain the same.
The most senior enlisted guardian will now be the chief master sergeant of the Space Force, according to the memo.
All the officer ranks, from second lieutenant to general, remain the same.
