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“These soldiers will become the experts we turn to during the next conflict.”
Source: Department of Defense
By Matthew Olay
Photo: Courtesy
The Army confirmed it will implement a new space domain-related enlisted military occupational specialty by next fall, the service’s top space officer announced during a media briefing at the Pentagon today.
Initially announced by the Army’s deputy chief of staff in December 2024, the MOS — titled 40D space operations specialist — is on track to become official by October 2026, the commander of Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Army Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, told reporters.
“These soldiers will become the experts we turn to during the next conflict. Our Army space professionals support unique assets to interdict or disrupt adversaries use of space capabilities, ensuring Army forces maintain the initiative to fight from positions of relative advantage in all domains,” said Gainey, adding that soldiers provide close space support to the Army’s conventional and special operations forces.
To date, the Army’s space operations have been mostly filled by the officer corps; the new MOS will ensure that enlisted soldiers in the ranks of specialist through command sergeant major will be able to show up to space formations with “expertise and experience in space operations,” Gainey said.
Additionally, Gainey said that the new specialty will help stabilize the career progression and retention of soldiers who are currently operating outside of their assigned jobs in the air defense, signal and intelligence fields in order to assist in space operations.
“This is a zero-growth effort,” he said.
When asked how the 40D mission would differ from that of the Space Force, Gainey explained that the Army’s space mission is more ground-based.
“[We’re] focused on the tactical maneuver fight with our forces on the ground, pushing that capability forward so our forces [are] able to leverage the effects of a space-based system, directly benefitting the operator on the ground,” Gainey said, adding that the Army’s space mission helps enable the Space Force to complete a range of its own missions, including on-orbit.
“[The good news] is that there’s more than enough work for all of us on the battlefield today,” he said.
As for training the new 40D soldiers, Gainey said they will attend the Space and Missile Defense Center of Excellence at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, once they have completed their initial entry training.
“The majority of [40D] training will be on systems that we employ [such as the Tactical Integrated Ground Suite] and some of our other smaller systems,” Gainey said, adding that the students will have more advanced level schools just like other specialties.
When asked about recruiting efforts once the career field is established, Gainey said the Army is already seeing a lot of interest from young soldiers.
“I want to encourage everybody [who’s] interested in the space 40D MOS to compete for it, but it’s going to be very competitive,” he said.
