BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE —
The Colorado National Guard's newest military unit to be assigned the space mission will conduct a stand up ceremony at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, June 1 at 1 p.m. to recognize the 138th Space Control Squadron.
The 138th Space Control Squadron, which received federal recognition May 8, 2019, is part of the 233rd Space Group, 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. James Reeman will be the first commander of the new squadron and will assume command as part of the ceremony.
“Space is the most rapidly evolving, critical, and contested warfighting domain,” Reeman said. “Our near-peer competitors are aggressively seeking means to deny or degrade our use of space in ways that affect not only our military capabilities but our modern way of life.”
The 138th SPCS’s mission is to provide global space electronic attack capabilities to rapidly achieve flexible and versatile electronic warfare effects in support of global and theater campaigns.
“Until recently, space was considered a benign environment where our abilities to communicate, navigate, and even conduct business and commerce, were uncontested; but now, potential adversaries seek to hold these freedoms at risk,” Reeman said. “We have to be more innovative and agile. Our ability to identify, characterize and respond to threats to our space-based capabilities and to enable our warfighters has never been more important.”
The unit is comprised of nearly 100 Airmen who serve in eight military job specialties that include space operators, cyber specialists, and radio frequency technicians. As National Guard members, many of these warriors also work for space and technology companies along the Front Range, bringing their civilian expertise to the battlefield.
“Military leadership knows our ability to wage war in traditional air, land and sea domains is far more challenging without space superiority,” Reeman said. “Perhaps even more important, our new squadron’s space warfighters – Citizen-Soldiers themselves – will protect our freedoms and way of life. We take a great deal of pride in that privilege.”
According to Reeman, 138 SPCS Director of Operations U.S. Air Force Maj. Stephanie Myers is credited with helping initiate the vision and policy for the squadron and has been the most significant contributor to seeing this activation through to completion.
A reception and live music will follow the ceremony.