Members of Donald Trump’s Space Force will be called ‘Guardians’

...of the galaxy?

Vice President Mike Pence has announced that members of the US Space Force will be known as 'Guardians'. "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 confirmed.

Members of the Space Force will be known as “guardians”, says VP Mike Pence.

Wait, is this an announcement that the US has guardians of the galaxy??? pic.twitter.com/LEfpOM4pL9 — Chenue Her (@ChenueHer) December 18, 2020

"Today, after a yearlong process that produced hundreds of submissions and research involving space professionals and members of the general public, we can finally share with you the name by which we will be known: Guardians," the official Space Force account tweeted. "The opportunity to name a force is a momentous responsibility," the Space Force statement continued. "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 name Guardians 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."

The opportunity to name a force is a momentous responsibility. 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.”

— United States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD) December 18, 2020

Guardians. #SemperSupra!

— United States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD) December 18, 2020

The announcement has been widely mocked - no least because it sounds a lot like Marvel Comics' team of intergalatic superheroes, the Guardian of the Galaxy. James Gunn, the director of the GOTG films, was one of the many to point this out. https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1340085020380209152 The US Space Force has been somewhat a punching bag online since it was first announced. In January, Donald Trump revealed the logo for the new branch of the US military - which many thought looked a lot like the one from a very popular space-based sci-fi TV show. https://twitter.com/GeorgeTakei/status/1220823578825887745