Bipartisan Lawmakers Oppose Recommendation to Consolidate Reserve, Guard Space Units

A bipartisan group of public officials expressed opposition to a report by the U.S. Air Force recommending putting all National Guard space units under the U.S. Space Force.

In a letter sent by 85 bipartisan lawmakers on Monday, the group called on Congress to not abandon the idea that when an individual signs up for the National Guard, they aim to serve both their country and the local community.

The Air Force study proposed a consolidation because it claims that a separate Reserve and Guard component would make it harder for the Space Force to fulfill its mission, Federal News Network reported.

Integrating does not only help the service branch be efficient in carrying out missions. Russ Read, legislative affairs manager at the National Guard Association of the United States, said being under the Space Force umbrella also ensures guardsmen are not disconnected from the culture and training observed at the military branch.

Uniting space capabilities under the Space Force has been a topic of discussion for past administrations. Matthew Donovan, undersecretary of the Air Force during the Trump administration, emphasized the need for the Space Force to have authority over space assets to prevent a World War II scenario where the country struggled against the Axis nations due to the lack of a single, independent unit responsible for the air domain.