Vandenberg Air Force Base will formally rename the installation to Vandenberg Space Force Base during a command ceremony on Friday.
The 30th Space Wing also will transition to Space Launch Delta 30 during the ceremony that is slated for 2 p.m. at the command’s Parade Field, according to Tech. Sgt. Patrick A. Harrower, a base spokesman.
The 30th Space Wing is responsible for managing Department of Defense space and missile testing, and launches satellites into orbit from the West Coast.
Announcement of the base’s name change was made by 30th Space Wing’s Col. David Rickards during the State of Vandenberg Air Force Base address on March 4. All Air Force personnel at Vandenberg will eventually transition to the Space Force, according to Glenn Morris, the president of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Renaming Air Force installations as Space Force installations is critical to establishing a distinct culture and identity for the Space Force, according to Harrower.
Col. Anthony Mastalir and Chief Master Sgt. Jason DeLucy will remain in their respective roles of commander and command chief of Space Launch Delta 30, respectively.
Additionally, the commanders of the 30th Operations Group and the 30th Mission Support Group will inactivate and transition to vice commander positions. The new organization allows squadron commanders to report directly to the Space Launch Delta 30’s commander, which creates efficiency on all echelons, according to Harrower.
The Space Force was formally founded on Dec. 20, 2019, as the U.S. military’s newest branch of service and is a part of the Department of the Air Force.
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