The Space Force finally has its own rulebook telling Guardians what they’re allowed to wear and how they’re supposed to look in uniform.
Since being established as the smallest service branch in 2019, the Space Force has used the same guidance given to the Air Force. This month, Guardians will have their own guidelines to reference when it comes to being in uniform.
“Every Guardian’s military presence and appearance are a critical and visible demonstration of our professional force, and this new policy provides clear standards that support our warfighting objectives and culture,” Katharine Kelley, deputy chief of space operations for personnel, said in a news release.
Read Next: VA Processes Record-Breaking Number of Disability Claims This Year, with 62% Approval Rate
The Space Force’s creation of its own dress and appearance guidelines, nearly six years after being established as an independent service under the Department of the Air Force, showcases how long establishing some of the norms of a military branch can take.
“The U.S. Space Force was established as a distinct military service with a clear mandate to focus on the space mission,” the Monday news release said. “As part of its warfighting role, a key expression of service to the nation, warfighting excellence and esprit de corps is reflected in the distinct uniform and professional military appearance of Guardians — a source of pride for both the American public and Guardians themselves.”
The 114-page document mirrors most of the guidelines the Air Force sets for airmen, with a few minor exceptions, Air and Space Forces magazine first reported.
While the Air Force guidelines state that “hair will not touch the ears,” the Space Force’s document does not include that language.
Space Force Guardians are also allowed to wear the “first sergeant” duty identifier patch and certain “mission area” patches on their uniforms, per the instructions. The Air Force, earlier this year, cracked down on airmen wearing duty identifier patches.
“The mission tab will be positioned above the organizational unit patch and, if applicable, below the Commander’s Badge Insignia,” according to the document. “Only one mission tab may be worn at a time and is authorized only while assigned to the respective mission area.”
Mission area patches for the Space Force include such roles as orbital warfare, satellite communications and a handful of other specific job categories.
The Space Force document still references the existing Air Force dress blues uniform for Guardians, but gives guidance on where to place certain service-specific name tags and other insignia.
Military.com reported last year that the Space Force was on track to release its own dress uniform, as well as plans for additional items like a pullover sweater, by the end of 2025 — which would be more than four years since the formal clothing items were presented at the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space and Cyber conference in September 2021.
Like the Air Force, the Space Force instruction tells Guardians that “beards are not authorized unless a Guardian has received an approved medical profile or religious accommodation waiver by an appropriate authority.”
Related: Space Force Sweaters? Dress Uniform Development Marches On with Plans for a Pullover
Story Continues
Read the full article here