SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 – Space is the most physically challenging of all the warfighting domains. Operations in this environment are a contest between nations and others seeking to advance their nterests. Those that learn, anticipate, and adapt the fastest will have the advantage in space. Consequently, our Service must create the leaders and military professionals necessary to secure and defend United States’ interests in space and execute our missions reliably and effectively as part of the Joint Force. The first Chief of Space Operations (CSO), General Jay Raymond, captured the essence of the need for a Space Force when he said,
“We are forging a warfighting Service that is always above. Our purpose is to promote security and assure our allies and partners. Further, we will deter aggressors by demonstrating the capability to deny their objectives and impose costs on them.”
Defending the nation’s interests and deterring its potential adversaries in the most expansive warfighting domain is the mission of our country’s newest branch of the armed forces. We are lean and agile by design, which heightens the importance of every person’s contribution and commitment to serve. Our force must be pluralistic, harnessing the strength inherent in our diverse population to defend the Nation. We will remove unnecessary barriers between elements of our force to unleash the potential of every Guardian, both military and civilian, under a new unified force construct. Further, we will deploy force-multiplying technology and tools to enable Guardians to focus their talents on understanding, anticipating, and out-pacing our potential adversaries. Over time, we will increasingly free our Guardians from routine and repetitive tasks using process automation and artificial intelligence so they can accelerate innovation efforts and devise new ways to keep our potential adversaries on the horns of a dilemma. In so doing, we will create the military’s first truly digital service.
We must think differently about talent management for the Space Force to be successful. We are creating a regulated market approach to talent management that integrates and strengthens equity, development, and human dignity. It empowers individuals to pursue pathways that are informed by both their preferences and an understanding of Space Force requirements. To that end, we are designing and implementing a new talent management approach to tap into and build upon each person’s unique strengths to power interconnected high-performing teams. These inclusive teams, mission-focused and populated by bold, innovative, and empowered people, are the heartbeat of the Space Force.
This new talent management ideal is different from the current military and civilian human approaches, so support from both Congress and the Department of Defense will be necessary and crucial to enable it. While we work to maximize the use of currently available authorities, our work will require expanded authorities and we are engaged in an effort to provide the Department of the Air Force and the Space Force with the necessary statutory authorities to implement the ideal. Likewise, we will coordinate with the Office of the Secretary of Defense to identify any required changes to Department of Defense personnel policy.
To elevate and strengthen the performance of our teams, we will develop Guardians that possess a deep understanding of the full spectrum of military operations. Even then, the Space Force cannot succeed in its mission alone. Future wars will be conducted in all-domains and will be fought alongside our sister services and international allies, meaning every Guardian must develop joint warfighting mastery to excel in complex and uncertain operating environments. A team-centric culture will enhance our ability to integrate seamlessly into joint, interagency, and coalition efforts. A collaborative and inclusive approach allows us to develop and strengthen strategic partnerships across the public sector, private sector, and academia, to deliver new capabilities at operationally relevant speeds and enhance prosperity and security for the burgeoning space economy.
This focus on attracting, identifying, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce intentionally placed into high-performing teams will enable the Space Force to achieve the Chief of Space Operation’s priorities, as defined in the CSO’s Planning Guidance, in support of the National Defense Strategy. We will purposefully integrate evidence-based approaches to ensure our Guardians more closely reflect the population they serve because it is a national security imperative. Additionally, our talent management system seeks to expand opportunity for and quality of service by implementing more flexible systems that permit Guardians at every stage of their careers to transition more easily between full- and part-time employment. This system will allow us to assess each individual’s contribution potential, and subsequently bring him or her in to the Service at the appropriate grade.
In large measure, standing up the Space Force is directly tied to the nation’s recognition that a specialized Service is required to secure and defend the United States’ interests in space. We have the responsibility to develop and grow leaders and warfighters who will secure space. Capitalizing on being the newest service since the Air Force was established in 1947, we are taking a fresh approach to talent management with five mutually supporting objectives:
- Connect in a Collaborative Environment
- Lead Digital Enablement
- Generate and Engage Talent
- Develop and Employ Talent
- Integrate Resiliency
These objectives build upon each other to shape a new organizational culture with a focus on space as a warfighting domain, emboldening Guardians to produce game changing outcomes. Each objective is essential in strengthening the trust, transparency, and accountability
necessary for our teams to excel. Unprecedented and digitally enabled connectedness will underpin our success.
The Guardian Ideal is aspirational and will take time to realize fully. We are committed to achieving these objectives on the shortest possible timeline. We are also mindful of the responsibility to all Guardians during this time of transition to a new talent management model and will develop thoughtful transition plans with input and involvement from all levels of the force.