ARLINGTON, Va. — America's newest military branch unveiled its first recruiting video on Wednesday. The video titled "Purpose" explains the Space Force is looking for dreamers in potential recruits.
“It is a critical time for space," said Gen. John Raymond, Chief of Space Operations. "But it’s also an incredibly exciting time."
Raymond and Air Force Secretary Barbara M. Barrett participated in a webinar Wednesday sponsored by the Space Foundation where they discussed the recruiting ad among many topics.
"There are advances being made in all sectors of the space domain whether it is national security space, commercial space, civil space with the moon to mars programs and international space,” Raymond said.
The recruitment video begins with a young man looking up at the stars as a narrator speaks "Some people look to the stars and ask, 'What if?' Our job is to have an answer."
The video then shows off a Delta IV Heavy rocket, a mission control room and a futuristic spacecraft.
"We have to imagine what will be imagined. Plan for what's possible while it's still impossible," the narrator continues. "Maybe you weren't put here just to ask questions. Maybe you were put here to be the answer.
The video continues by showing the Air Force's X-37B space plane, troops in spacesuits and a rocket launch.
"Maybe your purpose on this planet... isn't on this planet," the narrator concludes as the potential recruit looks again at the night sky.
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Congress authorized a a $15.4 billion budget for the Space Force. The branch is currently growing it members.
This spring the Air Force Academy commissioned 86 cadets to serve in the Space Force. The Pentagon began allowing active-duty airmen to apply to transfer into the Space Force starting May 1.
The plan is to have approximately 16,000 Space Force members. Military officials expect the branch to become operational by Summer 2021.
The goal of the Space Force is not to militarize the final frontier, but protect America's assets.
“We do not want to get into conflict that begins or extends into space. We want to deter that,” said Gen. Raymond. “We also need to have systems that are defensible. And we have to continue to train our operators to have the warfighting skills necessary to accomplish this mission.”
The Space Force is already launching rockets at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The next launch, the sixth mission for the X-37B, is scheduled for May 15.
