WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army announced today the creation of a new military occupational specialty for enlisted personnel supporting Army space operations – the 40D, Space Operations Specialist.
“We know from all the Army warfighting concepts that we need space capability,” said Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey, commanding general U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. “These Soldiers will become the experts we turn to during the next conflict.”
Army space professionals support unique assets to interdict, or disrupt, adversaries' use of space capabilities, ensuring Army forces gain and maintain the initiative to fight from positions of relative advantage in all domains. As part of the Army’s Space Vision Supporting Multidomain Operations, these Soldiers provide close space support to Army conventional and special operations forces, protecting them from space-enabled attacks.
To date, the preponderance of expertise and experience in space operations resides in the officer corps instead of the non-commissioned officer corps. This new space operations MOS will ensure that specialists through command sergeants major arrive at Army space formations with experience and expertise in space operations.
“Establishing the Space Operations MOS is a zero-growth effort,” said Command Sgt. Maj. John Foley, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. “A space enlisted MOS will help stabilize career progression and retention for Soldiers and NCOs who temporarily leave their current MOSs for three years to support space operations.”
Ultimately, the space operations MOS will produce and retain well-rounded technical and tactical experts. They will learn all aspects of space operations and global missile defense, thereby becoming the best possible senior enlisted advisors.
Personnel previously “loaned” to the space community will transition back to air defense, signal, and intelligence units, but the manpower authorizations will convert to space operations for accessions open to every MOS in the Army.
For more information, contact Lira B. Frye, Director of Public Affairs for U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command at 256-955-2171 or email lira.b.frye.civ@army.mil.
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