The first four recruits to the U.S. Space Force were sworn in October 20 by General David D. Thompson, the vice chief of space operations, at the Baltimore Military Entrance Processing Command station, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. Four hours later they were joined by three additional Space Force recruits in Colorado.
The recruits all hold a military occupation specialty in space systems operations, according to Stars and Stripes. They will focus on tasks ranging from detecting sea-launched ballistic missiles and tracking satellites to assisting in rocket launches and space flight operations.
“Today is an important milestone as we stand up the Space Force,” Thompson said. “Until now, we’ve been focused on building our initial ranks with transfers from the Air Force. With these new recruits, we begin to look to the future of our force by bringing in the right people directly to realize our aspirations of building a tech-savvy service that’s reflective of the nation we serve.”
All seven recruits are bound for seven-and-a-half weeks of basic training at Joint Base San Antonio—Lackland in San Antonio, Texas.
The recruits come from Colorado, Maryland and Virginia, and they range in age from 18 to 31.
By the end of fiscal year 2021, the Space Force is expected to have about 6,500 active-duty Space Force members.