SEPTEMBER 19, 2024 – U.S. Space Force senior leaders discussed the Personnel Management Act during a panel at the Air and Space Force’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference at National Harbor, Maryland, Sept. 18.
The Space Force Personnel Management Act (PMA) was approved by Congress and signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. When fully implemented, the PMA will enable the Space Force to create a new model of service that integrates active-component Guardians and Air Force Reservists serving in space-focused career fields into a unified service that offers both full- and part-time service options.
“The way that we are structuring the development for this new legislation centers on a different shift in [thinking],” said Katharine Kelley, deputy chief of Space Operations for Human Capital. “In this new construct, we have to assign the nuance of full- and part-time to the work role, not to the human.”
As the Space Force evolves, it continues to address how to effectively staff the organization and has become a key priority.
“We want to use the right Guardian at the right place, at the right time, and PMA frees us up to look systematically across the full-time force and the part-time force to do that,” said Brig. Gen. Nathan D. Yates, mobilization assistant to the Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber and Nuclear.
Yates emphasized how the PMA grants Guardians the flexibility and opportunity to balance their military roles, personal life circumstances, and opportunities outside the Space Force for additional development.
When fully implemented, PMA will allow the service to approach its recruitment and retainment strategy differently, while continuing to meet the unique demands of the space domain.
“PMA gives us [flexibility] to adjust their service based on what Guardian’s life needs are and to retain that talent and use them in a different role,” said Chief Master Sgt. Todd Scott, senior advisor to the Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force. “It takes that career-long investment and ensures [talent] doesn’t walk out the door.”
Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman introduced the first five Air Force Reservists who volunteered to transfer into the Space Force as Guardians during his keynote speech, Sept. 17.
The application window for Air Force Reservists in space-related career fields interested in volunteering for the U.S. Space Force in a fulltime capacity opened June 1, 2024, and will remain open until Nov. 30.
By Staff Sgt. Emmeline James