 Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the Commander, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea, General Paula Kamra, welcome to the activation and assumption of command of US Space Forces Korea. I am Captain Monica Callan, and I will guide you through today's events. Please stand for the arrival of the official party and remain standing for honors to General Kamra, the national anthems, and the invocation provided by Chaplain James Pitts. I invite you to pray with me, giver of life and love, creativity, and inspiration. We give you thanks for this day and as many blessings. We are grateful for the call to serve and defend our freedom, the will to sacrifice for things worthwhile, and the means to defend each other and the nation we call home. Grace our ceremony today, not only with your presence, for we seek also your blessing. For Lieutenant Colonel McCullion, who with four words will take upon himself tremendous authority and immense responsibility, may he lead boldly with wisdom, strength, and joy, for command can be an arduous yet fulfilling journey that affects so many for so long. For his family, Mandy, Egan, and Kira, may their love and support never waver. May they equally serve with the rare elegance that is fused with strength and resolve, and may they enjoy a cohesion of family needs not to survive but to thrive. As U.S. Space Forces Korea stands up, we pray for a smooth transition in our organization, the enhancement of space capabilities and support, and our increased effectiveness against any adversary anywhere in the world. Bless us all, O Lord, in the defense of freedom, and as human beings, enjoying and perpetuating that costly freedom, these things we pray in your holy name, amen. Thank you, chaplain Pitts, and the United States Eighth Army Band led by Chief Foreign Officer Five McCulloch. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. We are fortunate to have the honorable Philip Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea with us today and other distinguished visitors. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinguished honor to introduce the commander, U.S. Space Forces, Indo-Pacific Command, Brigadier General, Anthony Chachi, Master Leader. Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished leaders, commanders, warfighters, what an exciting historic day. I am deeply honored to be here representing General Salzman and the United States Space Force for the activation of U.S. Space Forces Korea. And I am even more honored to share this moment with all of you. Thank you for being here today. I'd like to begin by recognizing Secretary Austin for approving this support and command. It was a very deliberate stroke of his pen that paved the way for the activities here today on pen. General LeCambre, sir, thank you for hosting today's ceremony and your continued support of Space Force Guardians. I believe today marks an important contribution toward your enduring commitment to combat readiness. Ambassador Goldberg, sir, thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to be here with us. General Poitz, Chief Dyer, your support for our guardians on pen has been tremendous. And we look forward to building on our close relationship with the air component going forward. General Ahn, Lieutenant General Park, you honor us with your presence today. I am deeply grateful for your work in advancing the alliance. After assuming command of U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific, my number one goal was to establish a subordinate command here in Korea. Why? Well, because the soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces deserve the best the Space Force has to offer. Our partnership spans over 70 years, serving as a pillar of stability in the Indo-Pacific. And our ironclad commitment to each other has never been stronger. To that end, I was inspired recently to read President Yoon's comments outlining his commitment regarding enhanced space cooperation within the alliance. It is clear that his leadership delivers results. And I'd like to take a moment to congratulate the Republic of Korea on your successful launch of Nuri this past summer. You have joined an exclusive group of nations capable of delivering a one ton payload into orbit using your own national space lift capabilities. The technological prowess here continues to grow and will only help our partnership flourish. And the professionalism and commitment of the rock armed forces to deterrence is a model for others to follow and greatly enhances the strength of our alliance. More importantly, it is critical to the defense of our nations and our whole lands. The AOR has long embraced the value of joint coalition integration during the 625 war or what we call the Korean War. Korean and UN forces turned the tide with the daring amphibious assault at Incheon. Air, naval and land forces combined with their unique strengths delivering a crippling blow to the enemy, setting the stage to roll them back over the 38th parallel. Today the importance of integration has only grown and activating US space forces Korea here today is a reflection of our commitment to joint and coalition war fighting. This team will elevate the integration of space personnel and better synchronize combat effects from space capabilities into the joint coalition operations in the Korean theater. These guardians know this theater better than anyone else in the US space force and are ready to leverage their expertise on behalf of United States forces Korea, combined forces command and United Nations command. Before I close, let me share a perspective on integrated deterrence. United States ability to synchronize in all domains is unparalleled but there is no integrated deterrence strategy without the underpinnings of space. Space creates opportunities where there otherwise would not exist overcoming the tyranny of distance, increasing the combat effectiveness of our weapons systems and projecting power at the time and place of our choosing. This new command will ensure that the space capabilities enabling integrated deterrence are ready to fight tonight, elevating our combat readiness on the panel. Moreover, they stand ready to further synchronize space operations against any adversary in our AOR. Whether it's through participation in combined events, conducting exchanges with our partners or taking the time to earn the trust of the tremendous citizens of the Republic of Korea, US Space Four Corps will advance the alliance to preserve peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. And there's no other leader I'd rather have taking command than Lieutenant Colonel McCallion. Bootleg, I can speak from experience that it's not easy standing up a new component but your team makes it look easy. Your space expertise is unparalleled in our service. Moreover, your steadfast leadership over five years of living and working in the Republic of Korea make you my clear number one choice to lead this new field command. Your seat at the table in this theater will pay huge dividends for all war fighters across the Indo-Pacific. And there is no more critical region to global prosperity. The dynamism here, let in no small part by our Korean allies, can shape the world for generations to come. With China as the pacing threat, the Indo-Paccon may AOR is our top priority and activating this command underscores our continued commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. General the camera, I'm a huge fan of your command philosophy. The guardians here understand your intent and in a few moments they will have a commander that is among the very best our service has to offer. Kachi Kokchida, U.S. Space Force Corps, SEPRESUGA. Thank you, General Mastelir. The first organizational change you're about to witness is the activation of U.S. Space Forces Korea as Lieutenant Colonel McCullian and Master Sergeant Hill on furrow of the field component flag. May I draw your attention to the screen and guide you through its features. Platinum represents the men and women of the Korean Theater of Operations, Space Service Component Command, who faithfully carry out the Space Force mission. The Draco Constellation from Greek mythology, a circumpolar constellation never settling on the Korean Peninsula, symbolizes the Guardian Dragon and pays homage to past space luminaires and leaders that laid the foundation for United States Space Forces Korea. The delta and tail represent the unit's consistent satellite overwatch and strike counter-strike capabilities reliant upon the space domain, while the boundary line represents the Korean demilitarized zone. The black field symbolizes the infinity of space, representing that there are no limits to what guardians can achieve. Ladies and gentlemen, I present you the flag of United States Space Forces Korea. By the order of the Secretary of Defense, United States Space Forces Korea is hereby activated, effective 14 December 2022. It is my privilege to introduce the Commander, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea, General Paul Akamra. U.S. Navy veteran, aeronautical engineer and science fiction writer, whom you may know as the author of the novel Starship Troopers, One's Road. Liberty is never unalienable. It must be redeemed regularly with the blood of patriots or it always vanishes. Of all the so-called natural human rights that have ever been invented, liberty is the least likely to be cheap and it is never free of cost. In other words, the freedoms enjoyed by those living in democracies today are only possible due to the risk taken and sacrifices made of those in the armed forces. And the newest armed force created to protect liberty is U.S. Space Forces Korea, which we're here today to celebrate. Good afternoon, I'm Yash Mnika. Excellencies, Ambassador, General and Flag Officers, distinguished guests, it's a privilege to join you as we celebrate this historic event. I appreciate the band and the crew who put this event together. Well done. Bravo Zulu, honor guard, you look sharp as ever. Please join me in a round of applause. Space is a vital domain of national security. For the last 60 years, space capabilities have become essential to the way of modern military conducts operations. Investments in space capabilities have increased in the effectiveness of operation in every other domain. The U.S. military is faster, better connected, more informed, precise and lethal because of space. The establishment of the U.S. Space Force in 2019 has helped ensure the United States is positive to deter aggression and outpace potential adversaries in the face of changing threats in the space environment and growing threats elsewhere. Specifically, the activation here today of U.S. Space Force Korea, the subcomponent of U.S. Space Force's Indo-Pacific, enhances our ability to defend the homelands and ensure peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. It also clearly demonstrates in our actions the ironclad U.S. commitment to our alliance. The new command is a powerful addition to our combined joint fight tonight force. I can think of no better place for the U.S. to stand up a new space force than Korea. The Republic of Korea is a close ally and we can fight alongside in a true technological battle. Together, we are unstoppable. Fortunately, an outstanding leader has been chosen to lead the U.S. Space Force Korea. Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Bootleg, is the right leader at the right place and at the right time. He's punching well above his weight class as the only service component commander in the Department of Defense and in U.S. Forces Korea. No pressure there, Bootleg. Bootleg has been in space operations his entire career. He's a core space battle management operator with a background in space electronic warfare and SATCOM, orbital warfare and command and control. My advice is if some people give you a hard time, not just because of your relatively junior rank, but because the Space Force logo looks a lot like the Starface logo or Star Trek. You can inform them that your logo has been in use by U.S. space organizations as far back as 1961. Star Trek, meanwhile, debuted in 1966. To you, your wife, Mandy, son, Egan and daughter, Kira. Welcome to the team. Around the world today, we see many challenges to international peace and security. Norms of behavior and international law are challenged by our adversaries in space just as they are here on Earth. Many nations have advanced their space capabilities and are relatively looking for ways to deny access to this critical domain. Russia and China have developed anti-satellite capabilities and other nations such as North Korea and Iran are developing assets designed to negate American advantages. Nevertheless, the Force has better posture than our adversaries to deter aggression, defend the Republic of Korea, protect the United States interests and have called upon defeat any adversary in any domain. This is as true today as it was or is in the past. Today, the guardians of the U.S. Space Force ensure our forces are allies and the world never experienced a day without support from space. They serve across the globe working 24-7 to design, acquire, feel, test, operate and defend the critical space systems the nation and the world rely upon. Because of U.S. Space Forces Korea, the alliance is better able to execute multi-domain operations in the Green Theater of Operations and to fight and win the most dangerous distance the last 100 meters of land, air and now space. Congratulations, Boolay, the U.S. Space Force Korea, USFK's newest service component. Even though we know U.S. Space Force Korea will not be fighting Star Wars style battles in space if that time ever does come. Guardians will surely be on the front lines on the front lines where they are always above and make no mistake, we would win. We're always ready to fight and when we fight, we win. Thank you again for joining us today for your unwavering commitment to our mission. God bless our great nations, fight tonight, kachikapchida and separate support. Thank you, General McCullian. We will now commence with the assumption of command. Will General McCullian, Brigadier General Mastalier and Lieutenant Colonel McCullian please come forward. The assumption of command ceremony has been a part of military history dating back to the 18th century. During that time, organizational flags were created with color arrangements and symbols. You need to a particular unit. To this flag, the soldiers would dedicate their loyalty and trust. When an assumption of command was to take place, the flag was passed the incoming commander to indicate a change in leadership. This gesture was accomplished in front of the unit so all could witness their new commander assuming this position. This symbolic tradition has survived throughout generations of military history and today it will serve as the key element of this military ceremony. Lieutenant Colonel McCullian has been entrusted to assume command of United States Space Forces Korea effective 14 December, 2022. In keeping with tradition, the flag is entrusted to the command senior enlisted leader, Master Sergeant Hill, symbolically expressing the special trust and responsibility afforded to the command's enlisted members. Thank you, General Le Camera, Brigadier General Master Lear, Lieutenant Colonel McCullian and Master Sergeant Hill. Ladies and gentlemen, it is now my privilege to present the first commander United States Space Forces Korea, Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Luleg McCullian. I'm young, I should make a good afternoon. I want to take a moment to thank our distinguished guests and senior leaders, Ambassador Goldberg, General Ahn, Sergeant Major Love, Chief Dyer, fellow component commanders and leaders. I'm honored to stand before you today as a commander in U.S. Space Forces Korea. To General Saltzman and General Massalier, I'm humbled by your trust and the trust that you have placed in myself and my team as we pioneer the future of space operations within Korea. General Le Camera, thank you for embracing our guardians. We will absolutely rise to the challenge and advance your objective in the theater. Lieutenant General Cloyce, thank you for your mentorship, your guidance, our two services share deep ties, and we look forward to continuing that relationship. I'd be remiss if I didn't take the opportunity to thank my wife, my family, to my parents. Thank you for instilling with me the work ethic and integrity to stand and lead here today. To my extended family and friends for keeping me grounded, to my mentors for shaping me, and finally, my wife, Mandy, my son, Egan, and my daughter, Kira. Without your support and sacrifice, I wouldn't be able to stand here today. If you haven't noticed, our team's a little bit young. It's because we are. What we lack up in age will make up in vigor. Protected by our bulletproof mustaches, we're better qualified in leading space integration across the Canadian Peninsula than anyone else in these United States space forces. Just as Robin Olds paved the way to modernize the U.S. Air Force, Air Warfare, our team will strive to elevate space operations on the Korean Peninsula. Our U.S. rocked alliance was forged more than 70 years ago as we stood shoulder to shoulder in war. With the world around us evolving, so too must we. Today marks the next milestone in our ironclad commitment to strengthen the alliance. Expanding regional threats exposes the significance of our joint and coalition partnerships to foster a free and open space domain underpinned by a rules-based order. Just 48 miles north exists an existential threat that we must be prepared to deter, defend, and if required, defeat. The U.S. Space Forces Korea, as the newest component, must be prepared with our guardians to uphold the fight to night readiness, a way of life that was coined on this peninsula 70 years ago. Our space combat capabilities will help deter adversary aggression, enhance the warfighter lethality across the air, land, sea, cyber, and space domains, raising us to new heights in our ability to defend our forces and defeat the enemy. To my fellow guardians, I challenge you today, be bold, be confident, and uphold the guardian ideal. General Latamra, in your words, we've got a mountain to move. Let's get to work. Kamsahamnida, step up to your ground. Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel McCullian, and congratulations. Ladies and gentlemen, in keeping with military tradition, please rise and join in singing the United States Space Force song and remain standing for the departure of the official party. Thank you for attending today's historic event. We invite you to join us for a small reception in the back of the hangar in congratulating Lieutenant Colonel McCullian and his new command.