SEPTEMBER 19, 2024 – At this week’s annual Air, Space and Cyber Conference, sponsored by the Air and Space Forces Association, the command responsible for training and readiness in the U.S. Space Force emphasized Guardian development, connection, and family readiness across three key panel discussions.
Brig. Gen. Matthew Cantore, deputy commander of Space Training and Readiness Command, discussed the importance of developing a skilled, adaptable workforce for the U.S. Space Force, highlighting the integration of officers, enlisted, and civilians into a cohesive Guardian family. One important start to this new initiative is the beginning of the Space Force’s Officer Training Course, which commenced training earlier this month at Peterson Space Force Base.
“We are in the midst of a new start,” said Cantore, about the new course for all new Space Force Officers. “Previously, we would have had separate tracks for space operations, intelligence operations, and cyber operations. Now, as we go forward, we realize that for great power competition, we want to re-baseline and reset what the experience is for all Guardian officers moving forward. As we look to the future and work to establish our culture, we want to have a culture where operations and warfighting is at the core of everything we do.”
Chief Master Sgt. Karmann-Monique Pogue, senior enlisted leader for STARCOM, joined Cantore on the panel and noted that as the enlisted corps grows in rank, responsibilities shift, necessitating a balance between the roles of technical specialists with the roles of leadership and advising senior leaders. Pogue cited the start of Space Force-specific Enlisted Professional Military Education earlier this year at the Vosler Academy at Peterson Space Force Base as another key to the transformation of the Force.
“We have reshaped the experience for our enlisted NCOs and senior NCOs,” said Pogue. “Vosler stood down for about five months to reshape the curriculum, the training, and the experience that our enlisted Guardians are going to be challenged with. We have to better prepare our enlisted force to not only be technically competent, but to be operationally and strategically relevant as well.”
Cantore and Pogue said that more would be rolled out in the coming months regarding initiatives for civilians and junior enlisted Guardians.
Col. Charlie Norsky, commander of STARCOM’s Space Delta 1, told a separate panel audience focused on family readiness for great power competition that integrating Guardian families goes beyond just understanding the Space Force or unit mission.
“Family readiness is mission readiness,” said Col. Norsky. “We can’t do what we do on the mission side without making sure that we have our families not just on board or understanding, but truly as part of the team.”
Norsky elaborated on closer integration of families within units, taking steps to develop a local initiative that further develops family members.
“We want to formalize this so it’s not just pointing a family member or spouse toward a resource and say ‘go over there for this information,’” said Col. Norsky. “It’s… come over here, let’s talk about this, let’s work through this together, let us grow. And so this spouse development initiative is something that I think we’re really excited about being able to roll out.”
Jessica Norsky, Key Support Liaison Mentor for STARCOM’s Delta 1, said that a service tradition that epitomizes the culture of connection is a family pinning ceremony during Basic Military Training graduation at a third panel discussing United Forces and Families: Shaping the Guardian Experience.
“They say the little things don’t mean anything. They mean everything,” said Norsky. “We start by acknowledging the fact that family support has been crucial to get their service member to this point, and that they will continue to play a role.
The pin may appear to be a small gesture, but it represents the ongoing building of the service’s culture and connection.
“It’s a wonderful thing,” said Norsky. “We all have this invitation to inspire real change and to create this Guardian experience. We look at how we combine service members, spouses, and community partners into working together to do this good, to benefit all of our service.”
Building a Guardian culture was one point stressed by all STARCOM leaders throughout the three separate panels.
“The folks that are coming in today are going to be the squadron commanders in 15 years, they are going to be the SELs of our combat detachments and our combat squadrons that will be warfighting in 15 years. Our civilians now that come in will be the senior future SES or NH force of the service, leading and directing activities for the service,” said Cantore. “Every member of the Space Force is going to be a warfighter first.”
Courtesy Story
Space Training and Readiness Command