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Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs / Published January 29, 2021
Space Force News
Effective Feb. 1, the Space Force will use the following rank names across all Space Force systems and in all manners of address.
Grade
Rank
Abbreviation
Terms of Address
E1
Specialist 1
Spc1
Preferred term is Specialist but Spec1 or Specialist 1 are both acceptable
E2
Specialist 2
Spc2
Preferred term is Specialist but Spec2 or Specialist 2 are both acceptable
E3
Specialist 3
Spc3
Preferred term is Specialist but Spec3 or Specialist 3 are both acceptable
E4
Specialist 4
Spc4
Preferred term is Specialist but Spec4 or Specialist 4 are both acceptable
E5
Sergeant
Sgt
E6
Technical Sergeant
TSgt
Sergeant or Technical Sergeant or Tech Sergeant
E7
Master Sergeant
MSgt
Sergeant or Master Sergeant
E8
Senior Master Sergeant
SMSgt
Senior or Senior Master Sergeant
E9
Chief Master Sergeant
CMSgt
Chief or Chief Master Sergeant
Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force
CMSSF
Chief or Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force
O1
Second Lieutenant
2d Lt
Second Lieutenant or Lieutenant
O2
First Lieutenant
1st Lt
First Lieutenant or Lieutenant
O3
Captain
Capt
O4
Major
Maj
O5
Lieutenant Colonel
Lt Col
Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel
O6
Colonel
Col
O7
Brigadier General
Brig Gen
Brigadier General or General
O8
Major General
Maj Gen
Major General or General
O9
Lieutenant General
Lt Gen
Lieutenant General or General
O10
General
Gen
Publications, forms, websites, and systems will reflect these grade changes beginning Feb. 1, but it may take time for all systems to reflect the change.
Guardians will wear Air Force rank insignia until the Space Force finalizes its own rank insignia designs, which is expected sometime in the coming months. The service will announce opportunities for Guardians to contribute feedback during the design process.
Crowdsourced feedback on rank names was collected from the field and was part of the decision-making process.
This change does not trigger the need to update the member’s common access card. The service will issue guidance on updating to a Space Force CAC when those details are finalized.
For more information, the official memo announcing rank names can be found at the CAC-enabled Space Force portal: https://www.my.spaceforce.mil/