Space Force aims to set standard for diversity, inclusion in the military
The women of the 2nd Space Operations Squadron made history as the first ever all-female space operations crew July 23, 2020, at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo. (Dennis Rogers and Kathryn Calvert/Air Force)
When 1st Lt. Kelley McCaa found out she would be part of the American military’s first all-female space operations crew, alongside a team of women she considers close friends, she knew it would make a bold statement for the newly-formed U.S. Space Force.
McCaa’s squadron, based at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, operates one of the approximately 30 GPS satellites used by more than 5 billion people around the world.
“Growing up, you don’t see too many women in STEM or women in recruiter videos for the military or science or physics,” McCaa said. “So, for me, I’m hoping that women will see that they have more opportunities than they might’ve realized growing up.”
That all-female team isn’t the only sign that the Space Force is trying to build diversity into its mission from the start.
Nina Armagno was recently promoted as its first female three-star general. As the director of staff for the office of the Chief of Space Operations, she will oversee the day-to-day happenings at Space Force headquarters. And in June, the head of the branch, Gen. John Raymond, addressed the topic in a letter he wrote in response to national uproar over the death of George Floyd. He called racism one of the enemies that service members swore an oath to defend the country against and added the Space Force must be founded on dignity and respect.
“We have an opportunity to get this right from the beginning and we are committed to doing so,” Raymond wrote. “We must build diversity and inclusion into our ‘cultural DNA’ — make it one of the bedrock strengths of our service.”
Some critics worry these public steps only serve to obscure larger systemic problems the Space Force has inherited from the branch of the military it grew out of, the U.S. Air Force.