Space Force Ranks: Insignias, Roles, & More

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Learn the ins and outs of America’s newest military branch

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: August 18, 2026 Fact Checked

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Specialists

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Noncommissioned Officers

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Senior Noncommissioned Officers

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Commissioned Officers

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FAQs

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The United States Space Force (USSF) is the youngest branch of the military, being established in 2019. It’s the smallest branch with only around 10,000 uniformed members, and it operates as a subset of the US Air Force. In this article, we’ll break down the rank progression and responsibilities of each rank in the branch, starting with the specialists, noncommissioned officers, and senior noncommissioned officers, and ending with the commissioned officers.

Space Force Enlisted and Officer Ranks

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A chart showing every rank and its associated insignia for the Space Force.

Members of the Space Force are called “Guardians” and their ranks are divided into four categories based on level of training, expertise, leadership abilities, and time of service. The ranks correspond to pay grades (E-1 to E-9, and O-1 to O-10).

Specialists (E-1 to E4): The lowest level; mostly focused on training and day-to-day work.
Noncommissioned Officers (E-5 to E-6): Supervisors of specialists and mid-level logistics support.
Senior Noncommissioned Officers (E-7 to E-9): Higher-level supervisors who provide niche assistance support.
Commissioned Officers (O-1 to O-10): Senior officers and policy makers.

Section 1 of 5:

Specialists (E-1 to E4)

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Specialist 1 Space Force cadets and enlisted soldiers are called “Guardians.” Once a Guardian graduates from the training program, they become a Specialist 1.^{[1]
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Research source} Spec 1s are basically apprentices—they’re learning the basics of the military, still training, and being introduced to Space Force’s processes.
- Pay Grade: E1
- Abbreviation: Spc1
- Term of Address: Specialist, Spec 1, or Specialist 1
- Insignia: A stylized delta (called the Semper Supra) inside a hexagon.
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Specialist 2 Every Guardian has an area of speciality, called a Space Force Speciality Code (SFSCs). Examples of specialities include things like space systems, intelligence, orbital warfare, satellite systems, or missile maintenance. Specialist 2s are sent to a specific training program to learn the ins and outs of their assigned speciality.
- Pay Grade: E2
- Abbreviation: Spc2
- Term of Address: Specialist, Spec 2, or Specialist 2
- Insignia: A stylized delta with one bar behind it inside a hexagon.
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Specialist 3 Specialist 3s are considered “fully trained” by this point, and they’re assigned specific roles based on their technical training and expertise. Spec 3s will also begin learning more specific and specialized skills in their assigned technical field.
- Pay Grade: E3
- Abbreviation: Spc3
- Term of Address: Specialist, Spec 3, or Specialist 3
- Insignia: A stylized delta with two bars behind it inside a hexagon.
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Specialist 4 Guardians at this stage are (unofficially) viewed as journeymen. They’re no longer spending a lot of time in the classroom and they’re considered proficient in their technical field.
- Pay Grade: E4
- Abbreviation: Spc4
- Term of Address: Specialist, Spec 4, or Specialist 4
- Insignia: A stylized delta with three bars behind it inside a hexagon.

Section 2 of 5:

Noncommissioned Officers (E-5 to E-6)

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Sergeant Noncommissioned officers represent the bridge between leadership and ground-level Guardians. Sergeants are technical experts who have demonstrated some kind of leadership abilities, and they’re tasked with taking on minor supervisory roles. It takes the average Guardian about three and a half years of service to reach this point.^{[2]
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- Pay Grade: E5
- Abbreviation: Sgt
- Term of Address: Sergeant
- Insignia: A stylized delta in a hexagon with three chevrons.
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Technical Sergeant Technical Sergeants are identical to Sergeants, except their eligibility standards are a little more stringent. Technical Sergeants often work in more specialized or complex divisions than Sergeants, but they’re more or less the same otherwise.
- Pay Grade: E6
- Abbreviation: TSgt
- Term of Address: Sergeant, Technical Sergeant, or Tech Sergeant
- Insignia: A stylized delta in a hexagon with four chevrons.

Section 3 of 5:

Senior Noncommissioned Officers (E-7 to E-9)

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Master Sergeant Senior noncommissioned officers are the primary mentors and managers in the Space Force, and they oversee day-to-day operations. Master Sergeants are considered technical experts who delegate day-to-day tasks to the Guardians they oversee. This is a big step up from noncomissioned officer in terms of the effort and time required to reach this rank, as it takes the average Guardian 12 and a half years to reach this rank.^{[3]
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- Pay Grade: E7
- Abbreviation: MSgt
- Term of Address: Sergeant or Master Sergeant
- Insignia: A stylized delta in an elongated hexagon with four chevrons and one rocker. A globe sits in between the delta and the chevrons.
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Senior Master Sergeant The jump from Master Sergeant to Senior Master Sergeant is one of the most competitive in all of the Space Force.^{[4]
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Research source} At this level, Seniors are responsible for managing large swaths of Guardians and monitoring resources, readiness, and logistics.
- Pay Grade: E8
- Abbreviation: SMSgt
- Term of Address: Senior, or Senior Master Sergeant
- Insignia: A stylized delta in an elongated hexagon with four chevrons, two rockers, and a globe in the middle.
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Chief Master Sergeant Chief Master Sergeants serve as advisors to other senior staff, and they’re responsible for helping to manage larger policy-level issues.
- Pay Grade: E9
- Abbreviation: CMSgt
- Term of Address: Chief, or Chief Master Sergeant
- Insignia: A stylized delta in an elongated hexagon with four chevrons, three rockers, and a globe in the middle.
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Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force This is the highest rank you can reach without a commission. The Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force is an appointed position that functionally serves as an advisor to the Chief of Space Operations (and the Air Force). They represent all enlisted forces when it comes to advocating for policy changes. It’s a very unique role that serves as a combination of a union rep, an executive manager, and an advisor.
- Pay Grade: E9
- Abbreviation: CMSSF
- Term of Address: Chief, or Chief Master Sergeant
- Insignia: A stylized delta in an elongated hexagon with four chevrons, three rockers, and two stars. Instead of a globe, there’s another delta with a laurel wreath.

Section 4 of 5:

Commissioned Officers (O-1 to O-10)

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Second Lieutenant The structure for commissioned officers in the Space Force mirrors the progression and ranks of the US Army. Second Lieutenants lead Guardians in training exercises and execute missions.
- Pay Grade: O1
- Abbreviation: 2nd Lt
- Term of Address: Second Lieutenant, or Lieutenant
- Insignia: A gold bar.
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First Lieutenant First Lieutenants are identical to Second Lieutenants except they’ve advanced further up the ladder when it comes to technical training and the scope of their responsibility.
- Pay Grade: O2
- Abbreviation: 1st Lt
- Term of Address: First Lieutenant, or Lieutenant
- Insignia: A silver bar.
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Captain Captains function as commanders at the squadron level. They’re responsible for large units and have strong management skills.
- Pay Grade: O3
- Abbreviation: Capt
- Term of Address: Captain
- Insignia: Two silver bars.
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Major Majors are the first layer of field-grade leadership, which means they’re not directly managing Guardians themselves. Instead, Majors serve in a planning capacity, and they serve as the bridge between senior leadership and on-the-ground ranking officers.
- Pay Grade: O4
- Abbreviation: Maj
- Term of Address: Major
- Insignia: A golden oak leaf.
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Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant Colonels are essential commanders in the Space Force. They help with planning, staffing, and operational logistics in a managerial capacity.
- Pay Grade: O5
- Abbreviation: Lt Col
- Term of Address: Lieutenant Colonel, or Colonel
- Insignia: A silver oak leaf.
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Colonel Colonels are senior leaders who oversee missions, help select strategic goals, conduct research operations, and serve as senior advisors.
- Pay Grade: O6
- Abbreviation: Col
- Term of Address: Colonel
- Insignia: A silver eagle with a US crest.
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Brigadier General The US President appoints Brigadier Generals, although they’re subject to Congressional approval. They command brigades of Guardians.
- Pay Grade: O7
- Abbreviation: Brig Gen
- Term of Address: Brigadier General, or General
- Insignia: A silver star.
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Major General They’re appointed and approved the same way as other generals. They oversee a larger number of Guardians and have unique responsibilities.
- Pay Grade: O8
- Abbreviation: Maj Gen
- Term of Address: Major General, or General
- Insignia: Two silver stars.
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Lieutenant General Appointed the same way as other generals, the Lieutenant General oversees an even larger tier of Guardians. They’re senior leaders with a lot of responsibility.
- Pay Grade: O9
- Abbreviation: Lt Gen
- Term of Address: Lieutenant General, or General
- Insignia: Three silver stars.
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General The highest rank in the Space Force, the General serves at the Pentagon and oversees all operations.
- Pay Grade: O10
- Abbreviation: Gen
- Term of Address: General
- Insignia: Four silver stars.

Section 5 of 5:

Frequently Asked Questions

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Is it hard to get into the Space Force? Yes, it’s probably the most difficult branch to find a role in. The Space Force just isn’t very big in the first place, and there are a lot of people attracted to the type of work the Space Force does. We don’t know exactly how difficult it is because they don’t publish acceptance rates, but it’s apparently very hard to get in.
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What combat does the Space Force engage in? So far, none, but they may be involved in cyberwarfare and space-related combat in the future. The Space Force hasn’t engaged in any actual warfare yet, but their stated purpose surrounds combat in digital and space-related venues. So, things like cyberattacks, viruses, and electromagnetic weapons might be on the table. Anything involving satellites or space ships will clearly fall under their domain.^{[5]
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Why was the Space Force created? The Space Force was created to maintain US supremacy in outer space, but there are ideological factors going into the branch’s creation as well. Ronald Regan was a fan of “Star Wars” (the decree to put weapons in space, not the movies), and he tried to create a version of the Space Force in 1985, so for Donald Trump, the founding of Space Force represents a completion of Regan’s vision for the future.^{[6]
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- Trump’s Secretary of Defense at the time, Mark Esper, put it this way: “We are at the dawn of a new era for our Nation’s Armed Forces. The establishment of the U.S. Space Force is an historic event and a strategic imperative for our Nation. Space has become so important to our way of life, our economy and our national security that we must be prepared as a Nation to protect it from hostile actions.”^{[7]
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How long does it take to rank up in the Space Force? New recruits will typically spend a minimum of 3 years floating around specialist ranks, and then another 3-5 years working through the noncommissioned officer ranks. After that, the requirements for promotion become quite stiff, and it can be a decade (or more) before you’re able to qualify for a promotion to the O- pay grade.^{[8]
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