The Trump administration celebrated the first birthday of the U.S. Space Force on Friday by announcing that its members will be known as “guardians.”
Vice President Mike Pence made the announcement at a celebratory event tracing the development of the newest branch of the military over the past year.
“It is my honor, on behalf of the president of the United States, to announce that henceforth the men and women of the United States Space Force will be known as guardians,” Pence said. “Soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and guardians will be defending our nation for generations to come.”
President-elect Joe Biden has yet to reveal his plans for the Space Force in the next administration.
The Space Force said in a statement that the process of choosing a name took a whole year, producing hundreds of submissions as well as research involving space professionals and members of the general public.
“The opportunity to name a force is a momentous responsibility,” the statement reads. “Guardians is a name with a long history in space operations, tracing back to the original command motto of Air Force Space Command in 1983, “Guardians of the High Frontier.””
The Force went on to say that the name connects “our proud heritage and culture to the important mission we execute 24/7, protecting the people and interest of the U.S. and its allies.”