The U.S. Space Force was born on December 20, 2019, the newest branch of the United States military will is organized within the Department of the Air Force, similar to the USMC and Navy. In his first official statement as the head of the Space Force, Gen. Jay Raymond noted that the culture of service is one of the most critical pieces of the DOD’s newest puzzle. To this endeavor, the Space Force will need to incur a fiercely independent identity and draw a clear line in the sand where the Air Force ends and the Space Force begins.

To ensure this happens, the president and Congress must direct the Space Force to adopt the naval officer rank structure immediately. Here is why:

Since the Space Corps will still be a facet of the Department of the Air Force and is born from current Air Force professionals (many of whom had nothing to do with the adoption of a new and separate force), it is possible (maybe even likely) that they will continue business as usual. Mandating naval ranks will spur the development of a new manner of thinking. The culture shock of a completely new rank amongst the service’s highest tenured will have a trickle-down effect, starting the USSF off on the right foot.

Spacepower, at its core, is based on naval theory. This proposed mission of the Space Force is to protect space assets that provide communications, intelligence, and other services to the joint force from adversary aggression. This mission of endurance reflects the chief goals of the Navy, such as the protection of shipping lanes and control of vital waterways much more than the Air Force’s episodic mission set of strategic bombardment, recon, and airlift. Replacing the ranks of Space Force officers with the titles of Naval structure will reinforce this significant difference in their daily lives.

Additionally, the Space Force needs to cement its standing as a separate and equal branch of the military. It is highly unlikely that the Department of the Air Force will approve of these essential differences due to their misunderstanding of a separate mission. The adaption of naval ranks will underline the USSF individuality in its early years.

Lastly, and maybe most importantly, the U.S. population expects that the future heroes of the Space Force will don the titles of Admiral and Commander, not Major or Colonel. The American taxpayer visualizes an American force to rival those in Star Trek, which functions not only as a protective measure of Homeland Security but also as a path toward exploration.

Mandating this change will set the stage for the United States to foster the best Space Force it can, and carries a price tag of virtually nothing. Governmental authorities must direct the use of naval rank structure amongst Space Force Officers now.