DAF announces space medicine identifiers, formalizes specialty

Air Force Medical Service:

"Air Force medical personnel with specialized space medicine training will earn special experience identifiers starting Nov. 1, 2026.

The Department of the Air Force added special experience identifiers, or SEIs, to its officer and enlisted classification directories marking a major milestone in institutionalizing space medicine expertise. The designation enables leaders to rapidly identify and align qualified personnel as U.S. Space Force operational requirements and medical support needs mature.

“The SEI is more than an administrative identifier, it signifies deliberate force development,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Melissa Runge, Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Space Force Medicine. “As the Space Force mission evolves, we must remain equally deliberate in developing the medical professionals who sustain and enable our Guardians.”

To be eligible for the Space Medicine SEI, an Airman must be a medical officer or have a 4N series specialty with at least an 18-month tour of duty supporting a Space Force mission on a Space Base Delta, Space Launch Delta, or in support of the U.S. Space Command or USSF component field command.

The Air Force has been medically supporting Guardians since the newest military service was established in 2019. In 2023, the Office of the Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Space Force Medicine, formerly known as the USSF Medical Operations Directorate, was established to develop and implement medical policies and readiness standards for Guardians, and proactively enable innovation and development of advanced medical capabilities essential for Guardian combat readiness.

By identifying personnel who have gained space-mission exposure, education, and experience, the enterprise can further develop medical professionals capable of supporting Guardians, operational units, and future space medicine requirements.

To review eligibility and application process for the space medical operations SEI, access the SharePoint link. (Note: This site is restricted and requires a common access card; users without a common access card will receive an error message.)"