- The Washington Times - Thursday, May 7, 2020

The U.S. military has released its first commercial for the Space Force to attract what will be its first recruits as the service evolves into the military’s newest branch.

Its message to new recruits: “Maybe your purpose on this planet isn’t on this planet.”

The short but powerful message rounds out a brief 30-second commercial aimed at showing viewers what a job with the Space Force could look like.

In 2018, President Trump directed the Pentagon to begin planning for a new, independent military service that would focus on space operations. The U.S. Space Force was signed into law in December 2019 as part of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.

The first scene of the commercial depicts a young man with a traditional “high and tight” haircut gazing at the stars, while the narrator states, “Some people look to the stars and ask, ’What if?’ Our job is to have an answer.”

“We would have to imagine what will be imagined, plan for what’s possible while there’s still impossible,” it continues. “Maybe you weren’t put here just to ask the questions. Maybe you were put here to be the answer.”

Throughout the video, scenes of people in uniform walking around a launchpad, watching a rocket launch, and monitoring satellites in orbit could be seen, hinting at potential roles for soldiers of the Space Force.

The commercial’s Wednesday debut comes nearly a week after the window for airmen to volunteer to be transferred into the Space Force opened, Military.com reported.

The video was also released just weeks before Netflix is set to air its new sitcom based on the Space Force starring Steve Carell of “The Office,” on May 29.

Speaking about the new comedy series, Gen. John Raymond, head of U.S. Space Command, said Wednesday that Mr. Carell is “looking a little too shaggy if he wants to play the Space Force chief.”

“The one piece of advice that I would give to Steve Carell is to get a haircut,” Gen. Raymond said.

• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.

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