The development of space professionals has evolved significantly from the Space Race to current times. To understand this evolution, what were the training methods and proficiency of space-based career fields before and after the creation of Air Force Space Command? Moving forward, should the U.S. Space Force (USSF) establish its own dedicated Space Intel tech school to meet future operational requirements?
Beyond specialized military tech schools, the broader educational foundation of space warfighters must also be evaluated. How useful is a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degree in space operations, and would it be detrimental to the USSF to make STEM degrees mandatory for all space warfighters? Additionally, rather than relying solely on organic military schools, is it feasible to incorporate civilian space courses directly into military training?
To expand the enterprise's talent pool and enhance readiness, can the USSF partner with universities to develop training programs that feed skilled workers into the civilian or contractor workforce responsible for operating and maintaining ground-based systems, such as radars, telemetry systems, and optics? Ultimately, what specific opportunities exist with commercial agencies, universities, and NATO countries or allies that the USSF could leverage to broaden the educational and operational experience of its members?
- Gunther, Maj. Brianne E., "Training Cannot Wait Ten Years--The Critical Experience Gap in USSF Officers Planning and Executing Space C2," AFGC thesis, 2024, 69 pgs.
- What were the training methods and proficiency of space-based career fields before and after the creation of Air Force Space Command? Gunther answers this by detailing how historical United States Air Force (USAF) training methods, which were inherited by the USSF, created stove-piped officers proficient only in singular tactical systems rather than operational planning. She demonstrates that both past and present Initial Skills Training (IST) and Undergraduate Space Training (UST) courses provide only a superficial survey of joint concepts, leaving a significant proficiency gap that is not formally addressed until an officer reaches mid-career Professional Military Education. To immediately correct this training deficiency in space-based career fields, she recommends that the USSF stop waiting for future long-term development programs to mature and instead leverage existing Department of the Air Force courses—such as the Joint Air Operations Planning Course and Joint Task Force Staff Basic Course—to rapidly build the proficiency needed for modern space operations..
- Reis, Capt. Christopher, "A Distributed Test and Training Range for Space," SOS AUAR paper, 2020, 8 pgs.