CMSSF unveils key initiatives to shape the Guardian Experience, make Guardians for Life

Published Sept. 17, 2024
By Staff Sgt. Adam R. Shanks

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AFNS) -- Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna took to the stage to announce his three key initiatives and the new enlisted roadmap during the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference, Sept. 17.

Almost exactly one year since becoming the highest-ranking enlisted Guardian Sept. 15, 2023, Bentivegna discussed his future vision for the “Guardian Experience,” which will include Elevate the Journey, Cultivate the Warfighter and Create the Future.

“These key initiatives are informed by my one year in the seat and the need for the service to optimize for Great Power Competition. They are inspired by you, the Guardians,” Bentivegna said.

To Elevate the Journey, Bentivegna described the Space Force’s duty to provide meaningful quality of life and service to Guardians and their families. He also referred to the “Guardian Voice,” which incorporates a Guardian’s talent, knowledge, needs of the Guardian and their family, and what is in the best interest of the Space Force.

Bentivegna continued his speech, explaining his second key initiative: Cultivate the Warfighter. He described the known, growing threats in the space domain and how the Space Force must focus on developing Guardians that can operate in the constantly evolving environment.

“We need warfighters who are going to educate, train, test and evaluate … leveraging their years of experience and subject matter expertise,” Bentivegna explained. “It doesn’t make a difference whether or not your operations room is a desk, cubicle or an operations center buried deep in a basement somewhere in Schriever Space Force Base - every single Guardian has to have a warfighting mindset.”

The final key initiative of the Guardian Experience, Create the Future, aims to cultivate partnerships and invest in the long-term success of the Space Force; to include changing the way the Space Force recruits members. Bentivegna discussed the service just selected the first commander to lead Space Force-specific recruiting efforts.

“Scouting talent and building the Space Force is a service responsibility, and we’re getting after it,” Bentivegna said. “They're to go out to industry and academia, and they're going to learn what are the best practices to scout, attract, develop talent.”

He added, “This is an opportunity for us to embrace the fact that we're just about 10,000 active-duty strong at the end of the; we have the ability to focus in on the actual talent that we need for the service and do so in a very deliberate manner.”

Additionally, Bentivegna briefly explained the roadmap forward for enlisted Guardians titled “Guardian for Life.”

“To create an environment and experience where Guardians, regardless of when they take off the uniform and go to do other things, that they stay connected to the Space Force, is an environment I aspire to create,” Bentivegna said. “I’m going to work with the senior leaders across the Department of the Air Force to make this vision a reality, to deliver for every single Guardian this experience that makes them become Guardians for Life.”

This roadmap includes fully qualified promotions that enable commands to promote Guardians in the grades of E-1 through E-4 based off their individual training and expertise.

“I'd like to modernize and expand the current E-1 through E-4 fully qualified promotion system that we have today, leveraging our scouting for specific talent to more closely align career advancement for Guardians to the skills and certifications they receive through individualized and purposeful development that is clear and transparent,” Bentivegna said.

He also delved into the future of the mid-tier enlisted corps consisting of E-5 to E-7.

“Warfighters, subject matter experts - we need staff sergeants, tech sergeants and master sergeants who are going to embrace those opportunities, those responsibilities,” said Bentivegna. “They're going to lead those teams and make sure they're ready and prepared to execute command and control and embrace mission command.”

Bentivegna emphasized the importance of the enlisted force to the present and future of space operations.

“We’re going to put responsibility on your shoulders. We're not going to distance you from operations. We're going to put you right in the middle of it and make you responsible for it, but we got to train you and develop you before we can put that burden on your shoulders,” he said.