Site MapThe Space Force Wants To Dress Like Battlestar Galactica
And we're all for it
The most important part of any military operation isn’t keeping the nation safe from all threats foreign and domestic. Nor is it providing humanitarian relief to impoverished nations. Nor is it the dedication of one’s life to the higher purpose of duty. It’s the outfits.
The smallest and newest branch of the U.S. military is getting new dress uniforms. Space Force unveiled a prototype of the garb that will soon be seen on the military branch’s 4,840 personnel. The uniforms sport blue-gray baggy pants, and a deep navy double-breasted coast fastened by six silver buttons.
But there’s more to the uniform that meets the eye, and much of the garb was deliberately chosen because of its significance. The six silver buttons honor the fact that the Space Force is the sixth branch of the military, and the dark color of the uniform symbolizes the vastness of space. “The buttons have the globe, delta, orbit and stars that are part of both the U.S. Space Force flag and the seal,” according to Space Force spokesperson Col. Catie Hague.
The uniforms have been compared to those worn on Battlestar Galactica because they, well, look almost exactly like those worn on Battlestar Galactica. It’s not the first time Space Force has drawn comparisons to a sci-fi show. The logo was compared to Stark Trek’s logo because it, well, looks almost exactly like Star Trek’s logo. (Although, officially honors the Air Force.)
The uniforms are retro as much as they are futuristic, and have drawn comparison to Nixon’s Palace Guards uniform. In 1970, Nixon, inspired by Buckingham Palace, made the White House guards wear uniforms that resembled something a marching band would wear. The uniforms were largely unpopular and quickly dropped – and ended up on a real marching band when they were sold to a high school.
It’s easy to knock the uniforms of a military branch that feels as if it was conceived during a bender, but the Space Force uniforms are actually historic. They mark one small step for man, one giant leap for gender equality in the military. The uniforms are the first military uniforms to be designed with her in mind. The women’s uniforms were designed before the men’s to avoid some of the problems that have come up in the past when women’s uniforms were an afterthought. "Historically, what we do is we build a uniform for males, and then we tell the females, 'Hey, go fit into this,'" Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond said. "And it doesn't fit all that well." Space Force is the first branch of the military created after women were allowed to hold the same positions in men.
The military is currently considering feedback on the prototype. Select Guardians will wear the uniforms, testing them for durability and comfort. And yes, the military will also consider the “feedback” from haters on Twitter calling the pants baggy and shapeless. The uniforms will be finalized by the end of the year, provided the uniforms don’t spend too much time crying themselves to sleep because of all the internet backlash.
