Space Force would be by far the smallest military service



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The space force proposed by the Trump administration, which faces an uncertain fate in Congress, would be the smallest military service – by far.

The details of the Pentagon proposal released Friday show that the new service would have about 15,000 people, including an undetermined number of civilians, but would begin in 2020 with a seat of about 200 people. The proposal was submitted Wednesday to Congress, which must authorize the new service.

The Space Force would be the first new military service since the creation of an independent Air Force in 1947 as part of a vast reorganization of government agencies and intelligence services.

The Space Force would reside in the Air Force Department, similar to the Navy Corps in the Department of the Navy. She would have her own chief of staff, a four-star general who would report to the secretary of the Air Force, currently Heather Wilson.

At present, the smallest branch of the armed forces is the Coast Guard, which has approximately 40,000 active-duty members in uniform and is part of the Department of Homeland Security. The navy corps, the second smallest service, has 186,000 people. The most important military service is the army, with 487,500 members on active duty.

President Donald Trump urged the Pentagon to create a space force "separate but equal" to other military services. His first Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis, was initially reluctant to the idea, arguing against the addition of costly layers of bureaucracy.

Critics have questioned the need to create a space force as a separate military service, noting that the number of people needed to carry out space-related missions is relatively small. The Pentagon says that a separate service will give space issues a stronger voice in the military and create a particular culture and expertise in the space field.

The plan submitted to Congress calls for the gradual establishment of a five-year space force starting in fiscal year 2020. This would cost about $ 2 billion beyond spending on military space activities. existing. Many details about the new service remain to be determined, including whether he would have his own training camp for recruits and his own uniform.

All government activities related to space would not fall under the force of space. This would not include the Pentagon's missile defense agency, nor the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, nor the National Oceanic Administration, nor the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, nor the National Oceanic Administration. the atmosphere, nor the National Reconnaissance Office, which builds and maintains intelligence satellites in the space.

Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on Friday issued a written statement calling the proposal "a historic moment for our nation", ensuring that the United States can "compete, deter and, if necessary, win in a complex field ". He attributed to Trump a "bold vision of space".

While many members of Congress support organizational changes to improve US space defense capabilities, some key members question the relevance of creating a separate military service. Senator James Inhofe, Chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee of Oklahoma, and Democratic Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island are ranked.

The new chairman of the Armed Forces Committee of the House, Adam Smith's representative from Washington State, also questioned the need for a separate service.

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