# A space force as a separate military branch? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 4, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504 "2017-07-04T20:32:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/21 "2017-07-06T20:50:18Z")
Stargate sg1 seems like the better model for military in space. Col/Gen Jack O’Neill would kick any Star Trek Captain’s butt. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/22 "2017-07-06T20:51:00Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Yeah, but Han and Lando were generals in the final battle. Han was leading a ground force, so that makes sense. Lando, that one is troubling. He should have been named a Captain or an Admiral, IMHO. > [@Flyer](#): > > That’s actually not a problem. After all, the Marines are organized in the Dept. of the Navy. Having served with hundreds of Marines as a US Navy Seabee, I’m well aware of that. Are you saying that the Air Force would use Naval titles and insignia much as the Marines use the Army/Air Force ones? I suppose that’s a possibility and one that I would support. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/23 "2017-07-06T20:51:40Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > What particular uses does SOCOM make of it? They kill people with it, from airplanes. > [@](#): > > How would the other services make use of it? They plan to kill people with it, from airplanes or ships. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/24 "2017-07-06T21:38:53Z")
Indeed. Is the added value of the SOPGM from the small size and weight alone? A kind of ultra-Small Diameter Bomb? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/25 "2017-07-14T14:50:22Z")
Secretary Mattis says the idea of a Space Corps is stupid: [http://www.talkmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Sec.-Mattis-LTR-Space-Corps-7.11.20171.pdf](http://www.talkmedianews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Sec.-Mattis-LTR-Space-Corps-7.11.20171.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/26 "2017-07-14T15:26:48Z")
But… it would mean we would have space cadets and even, with inter-branch personnel transfers, Space Marines which would surely please the Emperor. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/27 "2017-07-14T17:05:16Z")
The Air Force ran thinks just fine in [Men Into Space.](http://i1.sell.com/u/5J/3B/26Q/8556611-l.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/28 "2017-07-14T20:05:47Z")
Great pic. Reminds me of one schlocky SF B-movie from the late 50s/early 60s where the spacemen driving their hokey spaceship were all wearing box-stock then-current USAF uniforms but with all the Sergeant’s and Airmen’s sleeve stripes sown on upside down. Space!!! It’s … different. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/29 "2017-07-14T20:17:09Z")
The Israelis get along with all three services combined into the IDF. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/30 "2017-07-14T20:22:50Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Reminds me of one schlocky SF B-movie from the late 50s/early 60s where the spacemen driving their hokey spaceship were all wearing box-stock then-current USAF uniforms but with all the Sergeant’s and Airmen’s sleeve stripes sown on upside down. Without gravity, is there really any right-side-up? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/31 "2017-07-14T20:33:02Z")
Somewhat amusing that almost all Scifi pictures space ships as a Navy like structure, but in real life what we have tends to be run by Air Force people. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/32 "2017-07-14T21:48:15Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Without gravity, is there really any right-side-up? In regards to the frame of reference of a uniform, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504/33 "2017-07-15T01:15:49Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Somewhat amusing that almost all Scifi pictures space ships as a Navy like structure, but in real life what we have tends to be run by Air Force people. That’s because in real life, space has less buggery and more [golf](https://amp.pga.com/news/golf-buzz/feb-6-1971-alan-shepard-plays-golf-moon) than sci-to writers anticipated. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-space-force-as-a-separate-military-branch/790504.md?page=1)