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Army Personnel Keep Optimistic Outlook on Possible Space Branch

U.S. Army senior-level officials are still deciding on the proposed Army Space Branch.

Spc. Klay Walker and Spc. Alexander Best with the 4th Space Company, 1st Space Battalion, work on a Mobile Integrated Ground Suite at Fort Carson, Colorado. U.S. Army Photo by Dottie White

Leaders within the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) are still awaiting a decision from senior-level officials about the possible establishment of the proposed Army Space Branch. The branch’s proponents’ goal was for senior leaders to hand down their approval or denial by the 2025 Association of the United States Army’s Annual Meeting & Exposition, which the nonprofit organization is hosting this week in Washington, D.C.; however, senior leaders have yet to come to a conclusion, according to Brig. Gen. Donald Brooks, deputy commanding general for operations at the USASMDC.

Despite the stall, Army space leaders are remaining optimistic that senior leaders will officially approve the proposed Army Space Branch.

“[The approval process] is really at the senior leader level now across the Army,” Brooks said at the conference.

“I’m not trying to get out in front of them and when they’re going to make a decision, but it’s up to their level now for a decision," Brooks said. "[The situation] is positive, so it is positive, and the chief is all about Army space operations.”

If the branch is approved, team members already have the next steps in place. They plan to complete an engagement strategy and outline the future of space operations, personnel, formations, capabilities and direction to ensure transparent and consistent communication between parties, according to Brooks.

While they wait to hear from Army senior officials, USASMDC leaders have already taken the lead and completed crucial tasks to ensure the Army Space Branch is ready to go if senior officials give it the green light. USASMDC leaders have secured a military occupational specialty called the 40D, space operations specialist, and they have established the vision for the Army Space Branch. Their approach focuses on two areas: the integration of space capabilities from industry and other branches of the military, and the protection of the United States and its allies by preventing enemies from getting their hands on advanced space capabilities and technologies, according to USASMDC officials.

Adversarial threats have changed significantly over the last 20-25 years. Adversaries have created methods of denying, degrading and disrupting the United States' ability to use space, and the Army Space Branch can work to counter these efforts by defending the nation from attacks and staying ahead in the race for space superiority, Brooks said.