I'm almost afraid to ask---was the "Space Force" a real thing? Are there actually genuine

[Atticus]

"Space Cadets" practicing somewhere with their phasers?

[brooklynite]

1. Yes but...

It’s a real thing, but it’s largely just a shifting of Air Force personnel responsible for satellites, Russian mistakes, etc.

In any event, why would you be worried about a military arm under the direction of President Biden?

[Atticus]

5. "---worried about a military arm under the direction of President Biden---?" No, but,

"in any event" some will wonder why that was even asked. Can you say "stretch"?

Under Trump's regime, we were presented with the Space Force as a new and separate branch of our armed forces: Army, Navy, Marine Corps. Air Force, Coast Guard AND the "Space Force". If, in fact, this amount to simply shifting personnel who are still Air Force, that is another of Trump's lies.
..............................
That was the point of the OP.

[former9thward]

27. Space Force is not "still Air Force".

They are a separate branch. Yes, most of their personnel originally came from the Air Force. In 1947 the Air Force was created and most of their personnel came from the Army. During WW II the Army had the Army Air Corps. That did not mean the new Air Force was "still Army". It wasn't and neither is Space Force.

[BlackSkimmer]

29. "Some will wonder..."

New version of “some are saying”?

[Autumn]

24. We won't always have a Democratic president.

[Irish_Dem]

2. I actually saw a person wearing a US Space Force uniform.

I live near an USAF base.

[doc03]

3. Ack Ack Ack

[LakeArenal]

20. Can't argue with that!!

[A HERETIC I AM]

4. It's real, all right.

Several USAF bases have been changed to “US Space Force “ bases, including Buckley in Denver and Patrick on the southern end of Cape Canaveral.

One of the dumbest things that dummy ever did.

[Atticus]

6. So, it wasn't simply a "shifting of Air Force personnel"? nt

[brooklynite]

8. I say "primarily"...

They didn’t go out and hire a whole bunch of new officers and staff. Air Force and other rDOD offices already had a space-related role:

[A HERETIC I AM]

13. I can't speak with any authority on the subject....

As I am not now nor have I ever been a member of the USAF, but from what I can gather, it appears the bases which have switched to Space Force bases were already largely tasked with space related duties, like tracking satellites, and such.

Buckley has a large Radome array and is probably conducting the same sort of things that Pine Gap in Australia (my dad was stationed there in the 70’s) and RAF Menwith Hill in England does, both of which have a large CIA presence.

As an aside, because we all know how stupid Trumpy is, I am utterly convinced he thinks that spacecraft can fly in space like a fighter jet does in the atmosphere. I mean, I’ll bet he has watched Star Wars and other sci-fi movies and thinks the maneuverability of those craft flying in space is how it actually works.

[3Hotdogs]

7. --- anyone know what they do or what they're s'posed to do?

[Abnredleg]

9. Simple answer is they maintain our space assets

of which we have many.

[link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Space_Force|

As to it’s creation, it wasn’t some spur of the moment decision made by Trump, but rather the culmination of a very long and involved discussion on how to fix the problems of redundant programs and inter-service competition that was plaguing our efforts in space.

The underlying issue is most people don’t have a good sense of just how much our military depends on space based assets and tend to view the move through the lenses of Star Trek. If you look at what we already have in space or plan to put into space, consolidation makes all the sense in the world.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

11. bingo

Further, its preparation for the inevitable weaponization/militarization of outer space. Modern militaries depend on satellites for reconnaissance and communication. Any future conflict with a near peer adversary will likely result in each others satellites being targeted in order to hamper those abilities. As launch costs start dropping, I wouldn't be shocked if they dust off Project Thor and take another look at orbital bombardment.

[JHB]

10. It used to be the Air Force's Space Command division

Handles launches and operation of military satellites, handles research on anti-satellite weapons (both defense against and to use offensively).

It's something that had been on track to become a separate service, mainly so it could form its own priorities without having to filter everything through AF brass that doesn't have that stuff near and dear to their hearts (and thus being like the A-10, a necessary "unfavored child" they can never get rid of). However, That Howler Monkey wanted his orangy fingerprints all over something in uniform, so he accelerated the split so it would have his name on it.

[panader0]

12. You misspelled Farce.

[mainer]

14. Yes, it's a real thing: A fun TV show!

I'm hoping it comes back for a 3rd season.

[Liberal In Texas]

16. Netflix cancelled it.

We watched the last episode of Season 2 last night.

Frankly, Season 2 wasn't as good as Season 1. I think they had their budget cut.

[Thomas Hurt]

15. Another of the Pig's vanity projects.

[A HERETIC I AM]

17. I'm really curious if any of the AF brass suggested it...

Or if it was completely a creation of his tiny fleck of a brain.

I would love to hear a Constitutional originalist defend the creation of the Space Force. I really would.

[Wednesdays]

18. It had been in the works long before Rump's announcement

(See reply #9).

[A HERETIC I AM]

19. Fair enough

My fault for not reading the thread!
Thanks for the heads up.

[former9thward]

28. Congress created Space Force.

Trump only suggested it. Congress passed a bill in December, 2019 creating Space Force. It passed overwhelmingly in the Democratic House and Republican Senate. Article I, Section 8, Clause 14 give Congress the power to structure the military. The President can not do this on his own authority.

[USALiberal]

21. Did you Google "space force"??

[LiberatedUSA]

22. Phasers is the incorrect term.

Phased Plasma Rifles in the 40-watt range are the Space Force battlefield rifle.

[Initech]

23. There is a recruitment video. I shit you not!

[NotTodayPutin]

25. Well the USAF

Used to be United States Army Air Corps. Before Space Force, the Air Force was the newest and the "Baby" of the branches.

A better name (I don't know what it should've been) could've been chosen, I suppose but it is a legitimate branch of the Armed Forces now.

[NotTodayPutin]

26. Well the USAF

Used to be United States Army Air Corps. Before Space Force, the Air Force was the newest and the "Baby" of the branches.

A better name (I don't know what it should've been) could've been chosen, I suppose but it is a legitimate branch of the Armed Forces now.