LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- The newest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces marked a major milestone, March 11, as the first enlistee from the state of Arkansas was sworn into the Space Force.
In a ceremony at Little Rock Air Force Base, Kendall Crowder took the Oath of Enlistment from Col. John Schutte, 19th Airlift Wing commander, joining the ranks of the initial service members to enlist directly into the Space Force.
“I’ve always wanted to join the military,” Crowder said. “There was just a valor to it that I was always entranced by.”
Crowder said that enlisting in the Space Force wasn’t something he ever envisioned himself doing, but after learning that most of the professions he was interested in pursuing had recently transferred to the Space Force, he was excited about the opportunity to become a Guardian.
“It was a surreal moment when I was taking the oath,” he said. “It’s been a long journey. I’m just excited to start this next chapter of my life.”
The Cabot, Arkansas native will serve as a Cyber Transport Systems specialist, where he will be responsible for the integrity of the Department of Defense’s global communications network, ensuring the underlying infrastructure systems and cryptographic equipment is operating properly.
“Looking at his professional goals and what he aspires to achieve in life, the Space Force presented a great opportunity for him,” said Tech. Sgt. Roland Ryan, 345th Recruiting Squadron regional recruiting manager.
A seasoned Air Force recruiter, Ryan said that Crowder’s swearing-in was a distinctive moment in his recruiting career.
“It’s exciting to have been involved in the state of Arkansas’ first Space Force enlistment,” Ryan said. “What I love about this job is being able to change lives and give people future opportunities, and to see Kendall achieve something he’s been striving for is very rewarding.”
Crowder is bound for seven-and-a-half weeks of Air Force Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base, in San Antonio.