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CSO administers oath to 300+ space professionals worldwide

By TSgt. Armando A. Schwier-Morales, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs / Published September 15, 2020

Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. Raymond, center, flanked by Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrett, left, and Chief Master Sgt. Roger A. Towberman, senior enlisted advisor of U. S. Space Force, delivers remarks after a ceremony at the Pentagon transferring airmen into the Space Force, Arlington, Va., Sept. 15, 2020. About 300 airmen at bases worldwide, including 22 in the audience, transferred during the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric R. Dietrich)
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Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. Raymond, center, flanked by Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrett, left, and Chief Master Sgt. Roger A. Towberman, senior enlisted advisor of U. S. Space Force, delivers remarks after a ceremony at the Pentagon transferring airmen into the Space Force, Arlington, Va., Sept. 15, 2020. About 300 airmen at bases worldwide, including 22 in the audience, transferred during the ceremony (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric R. Dietrich)

Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. Raymond, center rear, administers the oath of office to airmen transferring into the U.S. Space Force during a ceremony at the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., Sept. 15, 2020. About 300 airmen at bases worldwide, including 22 in the audience, transferred during the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric R. Dietrich)
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Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. Raymond, center rear, administers the oath of office to airmen transferring into the U.S. Space Force during a ceremony at the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., Sept. 15, 2020. About 300 airmen at bases worldwide, including 22 in the audience, transferred during the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric R. Dietrich)

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WASHINGTON, (AFNS) -- The first member of the Space Force Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond gave a charge to more than 300 Space Professionals gathered virtually from around the world, “be bold, innovate, lead and inspire.”
 
Raymond, the chief of space operations, hosted a ceremonial swearing-in commemorating Airmen transfers into the U.S. Space Force during the Air Force Association’s virtual Air, Space & Cyber Conference Sept. 15. 
 
“Today, we get to do something special,” Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, chief of space operations. “We bring together Space Professionals from around the world and ceremonially swear them into the Space Force.”
 
Space Professionals from 12 locations across the U.S., Japan, Greenland and Southwest Asia virtually connected to the Pentagon Auditorium where Raymond conducted the ceremonial swearing-in.
 
"What a great day,” said Chief Master Sergeant Roger A. Towberman, Senior Enlisted Advisor of the United States Space Force. “We are so excited for these Space Professionals to join the team.”
 
Members from both officer and enlisted ranks raised their right hands and repeated the oath of office or oath of enlistment as applicable. Participants represented a small portion of the more than 2,400 Air Force personnel selected to transfer beginning Sept. 1.
 
“The future is truly in space.  Whether you are a U.S. Space Force operator or a U.S. Air Force member supporting vital space missions, it is about what we collectively do together to protect our freedoms and way of life,” said Col. David Hanson, commander, 821st Air Base Group, Thule Air Base, Greenland. “Fifteen military professionals from the Arctic base of the future participated in today’s ceremony and another dozen members are awaiting approval to join the Space Force in the coming months.”
 
The newest transfers will help establish the service in organizing, training and equipping forces for space as a warfighting domain.
 
“Space is our greatest frontier,” said Staff Sgt. Jacquelynne Kidd, 4th Space Control Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. “It is a tremendous honor to be able to carry on the legacy of the space pioneers who came before me. As our presence in space progresses, I hope to leave a trail for future generations to follow into the stars.’’
 
To officially transfer from one military service to another, service members separate from their current service and commission, or enlist, into the new service in their current rank.