The Army announced Thursday the creation of the Space Operations Branch, a dedicated career field for soldiers specializing in military space operations.
The branch formalizes space as a permanent warfighting specialty, with personnel focused on protecting U.S. assets and helping prevent adversaries from targeting joint forces from outside Earth’s atmosphere.
Brig. Gen. Don Brooks, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, called the announcement “a rallying point” for Army space personnel.
“For 27 years, Army space officers have been working to normalize Army space operations, and that’s what this branch designation now does for the Army,” he said.
The branch stems from the 2024 Army Space Vision, a call to action for commanders and staff to understand how space affects land operations and vice versa. With that, commanders were tasked with identifying soldiers suitable for space operations.
In turn, the service created two new military occupational specialties: Army Space Operations Officers (Functional Area 40) and, on the enlisted side, Tactical Space Operations Specialists (40D). The Army also created the MOS 40C, or Army Astronauts, but the 19 soldiers filling those roles were detailed to NASA.
The two roles complement each other. The service defines them as technical experts who know how to leverage space capabilities, satellite communications, and missile-warning data to support multidomain combat operations. According to the announcement, the service currently integrates hundreds of thousands of space-enabled systems to support multidomain operations.
To fill these roles, the Army is looking for experienced soldiers.
For the officer position, the service wants captains and above with a technical background and who have completed service with their basic branch. And for the enlisted, the service wants grades E-3s through E-9s.
While the initial application period for the 40D role closed on April 30, 2026, the Army said it will need around 1,000 soldiers for the role, and possibly 1,500 by 2032. Training for the position will begin in October.
Daniel Terrill is a contributor to Military Times. He’s been reporting on military issues, the gun industry, and the outdoors for nearly two decades. Although writing is his passion, he’s been a Marine, police officer, and, perhaps the most dangerous job of his career, a substitute teacher.