From Air Force Airman to Space Force Guardian

Photo By Natela Cutter | The Space Force patch worn by a newly sworn-in Guardian currently stationed at the Presidio of Monterey.  

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, CA, UNITED STATES

02.11.2021

Story by Tamara Cario 

The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center

Recently, two former Airmen were sworn into the Space Force at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.  

Former Staff Sgts. James Taylor and Isaac Pringle joined Chief Master Sgt. Matthew Robinson and Senior Master Sgt. Martha Burkhead, all staff members assigned to the 517th Training Group on the Presidio of Monterey, in switching over to become Space Force Guardians, the name of service members serving in the Department of Defense’s newest branch of the military. 

Taylor, a military training leader, was excited to learn about job opportunities in Space Force. “When I heard about the job, I thought it was awesome and decided to try my luck,” he said. Due to the differences in rank titles, Taylor’s new rank is now sergeant, although he will maintain his rank as an E-5. 

Air Force cadre came out in strength to the ceremony, where Taylor, the last of the Air Force members to be sworn in, officially enlisted into the Space Force. 

“This is the first MTL and first Cougar who will be joining the Space Force,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Ladymon, speaking about the mascot of the 314th Training Squadron.   

While the placement of the headquarters for Space Force is currently under review and won’t be out until 2023, the former Secretary of the Air Force, Barbara Barrett, announced in Jan. 2021 that Redstone Arsenal, in Huntsville, Alabama, was the preferred location. Redstone Arsenal is also where the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command and Army Strategic Forces Command, the Army Aviation and Missile Command, the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Missile and Space Intelligence Center and Missile Defense Agency operations are located.  

The current headquarters is at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is unclear how troop movement to the different locations will go forward, but for now, the provisional headquarters will remain at Peterson until 2026. 

As Chief Master Sgt. Heath Jennings, pointed out, “It’s complicated to move 16,000 troops,” the anticipated total number of Space Force Guardians once the branch is fully built up.

Jennings, a former DLIFLC graduate, is currently in a Space Force position while still an Airman assigned to Space Command out of Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, working in an intelligence leadership position. Because his position often brings confusion, Jennings is quick to explain the difference between Space Force and Space Command. 

“United States Space Force is a new military service that grew out of the Air Force,” explained Jennings. As a result, there are now five military branches – Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force and Space Force. Space Command, on the other hand, is a newly formed combatant command that is one of 11 that falls under the DoD. “There is some confusion because Space Command and Space Force were established under President Donald Trump and both were created within a year of each other,” he said. 

Jennings, whose application to be a Guardian is still pending, pointed out that Space Force and Space Command “both have high levels of excitement associated with them.” So much so that when each of the former Airmen were sworn in, Robinson brought along what he calls their mascot, a plastic green alien named Buddy. Buddy’s presence only added to the energy of excited anticipation that was in the air for the four intelligence professionals who swore to protect and defend the United States – on the ground or up in space. 

As for Taylor, once his time as an MTL is done, he will go back to doing cable and satellite communication maintenance. For now, his name and rank, once embroidered in Air Force gold, is now changed to dark blue with a Space Force patch on his shoulder. While he wouldn’t elaborate further on encountering aliens in space, all Taylor would say is, “The universe is entirely too big for us to be the only life forms.” 

• Date Taken: 02.11.2021
• Date Posted: 03.26.2021 18:56
• Story ID: 392425
• Location: PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, CA, US