Tactical Space: Lessons for the New FA40

For those in the Functional Area 40 career field, several thoughts may have crossed their minds before they made the choice to leave their basic branch and join the ranks of the relatively few FA40s serving in the Army today. The initial thoughts could have been Ive got to choose a Career Field ...FA40 I didnt know we had Space Officers. Sounds interesting -- Ill put it down as my third choice. Another thought may have been, This is my ticket to becoming an astronaut Once the career field was selected, the apprehensive investigation began into what Army Space Operations is really all about. During the first major stop in Space education, the Space Operations Officers Qualification Course SOOQC, officers likely experienced one or both of two distinct reactions the first, amazement at the numerous Space-based possibilities and technologies the second, skepticism as to whether or not they could make these capabilities relevant, particularly at the tactical and operational levels of military operations. Rest assured that both of these reactions still resonate with experienced Space officers today. It may not have been difficult to become a Space Officer, but it takes hard work, dedication, and continued professional development to become a significant and relevant member of the warfighting staff. Although the astronaut idea may not have come to pass, Space Officers are still one of a select few. This article is intended to give new and perhaps even experienced Space Operations Officers five rules for success as an FA40 at the tactical and operational staff levels. These rules are not focused on specific technologies or tasks rather, they focus on the individual through organizational responsibilities.