Developing Space Professionals

We need space professionals in all services and agencies . . . to exploit space effectively in the interests of national security. Development of a space cadre is one of our top agenda items for national security space programs.

—Hon. Peter B. Teets
—Undersecretary of the Air Force

*Colonel Hutto is director of the Space Professional Task Force, Peterson AFB, Colorado.

Engaged in a deadly firefight in central Iraq in March 2003, lead units of the 3rd Infantry Division mysteriously lost their primary communication link with the military strategic and tactical relay system (MILSTAR) satellite network. In an instant, critical targeting coordinates being transmitted to rear fire-support elements were completely cut off. Fortunately, an alert crew from the 4th Satellite Operations Squadron at Schriever AFB, Colorado, quickly determined that another user had inadvertently moved the satellite spot beam away from the combat zone. After initiating override procedures, personnel immediately repositioned the beam back to the fight, restoring the important link. The 3rd Infantry Division then resumed its coordinated attack and went on to win this key battle.¹

This story represents just one of many recent examples of the critical wartime role played by military space assets and the dedicated space professionals who wield them. Make no mistake—the victorious outcome of this engagement, along with numerous other battles in Operation Iraqi Freedom, would have remained uncertain without dominant US military space power. Over the past 20 years, space systems and the people who develop and operate them have repeatedly demonstrated their indispensable contribution on the battlefield. We can rest assured that this decisive role for space will continue to expand in future conflicts.

But this is no time for complacency. The acquisition pipeline is filling up with increasingly complex space systems, such as space-based radar, that will provide unprecedented capabilities. These systems will integrate space with air, land, and sea battle arenas more than ever before. Battlefield integration and situational awareness will become vital to exploiting these new capabilities, and people are the key to that success. Specialized space expertise will play a critical role in the design and integration of these new systems. Similarly, space operators and support personnel will also require more in-depth knowledge of how these systems support military operations. This level of human interaction will dramatically enhance space effects as compared to today’s space capabilities, which are much more static in nature.

As a result, the Air Force must redouble its efforts in recruiting and training talented people to design, acquire, operate, plan, integrate, and sustain a completely new generation of space weapon systems. In its final report, the Space Commission clearly spelled out this imperative: “The DoD is not yet on course to develop the space cadre the nation needs.” Commission members further asserted that space operators and acquirers must “master highly complex technology . . . and operate some of the most complex systems ever built and deployed.” This conclusion led the commission to call for initiatives to “create and sustain a cadre of Space Professionals . . . within which the space leaders for the future can be developed.”²

Agreeing with the commission’s findings, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld tasked Secretary of the Air Force James Roche to prepare a comprehensive space career-management plan.³ As a first step, Air Force Space Command built an Air Force space-professional strategy that lays out a sound approach for developing and sustaining space professionals. Approved by Secretary Roche in July 2003, the strategy identifies the specialties and disciplines required to take space systems from concept to employment. Additionally, Secretary Roche designated the commander of Air Force Space Command the space-professional functional authority, responsible for “managing the space career field.”⁴ The space cadre includes nearly 10,000 officers, enlisted members, and government civilians, as well as National Guard and Reserve personnel, who serve as scientists, engineers, program managers, and space operators.

Another group of space professionals—the space-support community—is equally critical to space activities. They serve in the intelligence, maintenance, communications, weather, contracting, finance, and other functional areas. To ensure mission success, these individuals must receive similar training and development whenever they perform space-support duties. Currently, most space professionals are assigned to Air Force Space Command and the National Reconnaissance Office, but many also work at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Staff, Joint Staff, and air logistics centers, as well as at other major commands, unified commands, and government agencies.

Implementation of the space-professional strategy will lead to more purposeful career development for the entire space community. The strategy, already under way, includes six major initiatives: (1) identify every individual in the Air Force’s space cadre and track his or her unique “space experiences,” (2) develop new and improved space education and training courses, (3) institute a three-level certification program to monitor the health and status of the most junior to the most senior members of the cadre, (4) review all Air Force space billets and establish minimum space experience and certification standards for each position, (5) coordinate space-professional guidance with the appropriate force-development teams to ensure a more deliberate assignment process, and (6) establish a permanent Space Professional Management Office under the space-professional functional authority.

Because of our tighter budgets and smaller fighting force, we must constantly strive to sustain the right number of people, with the right education and training, to fill the right jobs, at the proper time in their careers. The Space Professional Implementation Plan gives us a clear road map for achieving this mandate, and it is flexible enough to accommodate changes along the way should they prove necessary. Although we are already making big strides, a number of challenges remain. Cultural shifts and change are sometimes met with apprehension and skepticism. However, we need these initiatives, which have the full support of the Air Force’s senior leadership. Working individually with the thousands of space professionals throughout the Air Force is a monumental task, but it is necessary to ensure that each one understands how the new program interacts with force development. We are confident we can accomplish all of our goals, and we are working hard to implement the program as smoothly as possible. Finally, we should also note that the initiatives under space-professional development are in concert with the Air Force’s evolving force-development program, so space professionals will be able to leverage an even wider range of career-development programs and resources.

Since the Space Commission first published its findings and recommendation in January 2001, we have made considerable progress, but much work remains. Space-professional development is designed to identify the opportunities and deliberately prepare our people to meet and take advantage of the operational and technical challenges of the future with the purpose of securing the ultimate high ground. The goal is to assemble a world-class team of scientists, engineers, program managers, operators, and support personnel skilled and knowledgeable in the development, acquisition, operation, sustainment, and integration of space capabilities to avoid conflict but, if necessary, provide overwhelming air and space power to guarantee victory.⁵

1. Capt Ryan Stalnaker, 4th Satellite Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB, CO, excerpt from 50th Operations Support Squadron interview for “The Space Power Survey in Draft,” January 2004.

2. Report of the Commission to Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization (Washington, DC: [Space] Commission, 11 January 2001), viii, xiii, xviii, 27, 42.

3. Hon. Donald H. Rumsfeld, secretary of defense, to secretaries of the military departments, memorandum, 18 October 2001.

4. Hon. James G. Roche, secretary of the Air Force, to Gen Lance Lord, commander, Air Force Space Command, memorandum, 15 July 2003.

5. For additional information, see Space Professional Development, 27 February 2004, https://halfway.peterson.af.mil/ spacepro.

The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.

PIREP

Developing Space Professionals