It’s been nearly five years since the Space Force was founded as the sixth U.S. military branch, yet when it comes to formal wear, most guardians are still authorized to wear a modified version of the Air Force dress uniform. In fact, that may be their only option for formal military attire for a while.
The Space Force’s own dress uniform is not expected to be widely available to the rank and file until December 2025 at the earliest, said Department of the Air Force spokeswoman Sarah Fiocco.
Military.com first reported the timeline on the Space Force dress uniform.
No information was immediately available about why the process is taking so long but developing a service culture takes time, according to the Air Force.
The Air Force Uniform Office evaluated the Space Force’s dress uniform in a process that involved more than 100 guardians, making changes based on their feedback to improve the uniform’s fit and function, Fiocco told Task & Purpose on Friday.
Afterward, the Space Force dress uniform went through a wear test that led to minor changes, including alterations to the uniform’s height and the construction of the coat collar, Fiocco said, adding that most guardians who took part in the tests said they liked the uniform’s design and fit.
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“There are no major changes in the works for the dress uniform,” Fiocco said. “Development for optional uniform items, such as a pullover sweater, are underway.”
The Space Force has faced numerous difficulties in fielding a dress uniform since the service first unveiled the uniform’s prototype in September 2021.
With their distinctive diagonal silver buttons, several commenters on social media said the uniform’s design looked like something out of science fiction. Peter W. Singer, a strategist with the New America Foundation think tank in Washington, D.C., described the uniform prototype on X as, “A blend of the ‘Star Trek Enterprise’ dress uniform, but with the Mirror Universe diagonal.”
Further cementing its status as an oddity, the Space Force’s dress uniform was quickly featured in a December 2021 episode of South Park.
One major issue was the dress uniform’s baggy pants, which The New York Times’ style writer Steven Kurutz criticized as “saggy and baggy and in serious need of tailoring,” in an October 2021 column.
The same day that Kurutz’s column ran, the Space Force promised to address the pants issue by posting the following on X: “We heard your feedback. New pants, new fit coming soon.”
The Space Force has had more success in rolling out its physical training uniform, which the service introduced earlier this year. The service’s PT uniform includes a gray shirt, and black shorts, pants and jackets.
Since March, Space Force guardian trainees have received the PT uniform during Basic Military Training.
“The Space Force is committed to making the guardian experience something that our service members can be proud of,” Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna said in a March 8 news release. “The uniform connects Guardians to each other and their service. It represents our spirit and our strength operating as one team.”