By Troy Turner
The Air Force Historical Foundation is honoring Alabama Congressman Mike Rogers with its Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond Award for his contributions in the creation of the U.S. Space Force.
Rogers, who has served in the House of Representatives since 2003 and became chairman of the House Armed Services Committee in 2023, was one of the earliest and strongest advocates in Congress for the creation of a new military branch, the United States Space Force, which began service in 2019.
Rogers
He began his advocacy of Space Force while working in House subcommittees, and when President Donald Trump began his first term in 2017, Rogers along with other ardent supporters worked closely with the White House to fast-track the new military branch.
Trump then led the charge, issuing an executive order to the Department of Defense in 2018 to begin the establishment of Space Force. It became official under bipartisan support when the National Defense Authorization Act was approved in late 2019.
Space Force, though a separate entity, was organized under the umbrella of the Air Force as its parent department, much like the Marine Corps is with the Navy. Its service personnel are known as Guardians.
The Air Force Historical Foundation’s award to Rogers, which will be presented in the spring, recognizes “an individual who has made significant contributions in their lifetime to the making of U.S. Space Force history that continues to shape the future development of the service.”
Stuart Pettis, the Foundation’s vice chair for space, praised Rogers for his history-making influence.
Pettis
“I don’t believe it is possible to overstate Congressman Rogers’ role in the standup of the Space Force. He was laser-focused on the threat and saw that the Air Force had too much on its plate to give the threat the attention it needed,” Pettis said. “He saw the need for a separate service and provided the Congressional leadership to see that vision through.
“Over the past year, the Air Force Historical Foundation interviewed several senior leaders involved in the standup of the Space Force, and all commented on Congressman Rogers’ pivotal role in creating the new service.”
The Air Force Historical Foundation was created in 1953 by Gen. Carl A. “Tooey” Spaatz and other Air Power pioneers. It is dedicated to preserving the history and traditions of American aviation and space capabilities.
“Our primary emphasis is on the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Space Force, predecessor organizations, and the individuals whose lives and dreams have been and continue to be devoted to flight and space operations,” its materials state.
The award presentation to Rogers will take place in the Washington, D.C., area during a Foundation event still being planned.
Troy Turner is the editor and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be contacted at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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