Establishing a new service comes with unique challenges, particularly as the Space Force develops its own identity regarding mentorship and professional development. Mission Delta 2 has embraced this challenge by fully integrating the Guardian and Airman Development Program and its own Leadership Development Program.

The GADP, now adopted by all of Space Operations Command’s eight space deltas, started within MD 2, and more specifically, the 18th Space Defense Squadron. The goal of the GADP is to provide purpose, direction, and motivation to newer service members.

For the GADP, a junior service member selects their own mentor, who then provides one-on-one guidance on how to grow as a leader in the Space Force.

“It’s mentorship on a level chosen by the mentee,” said U.S. Space Force Senior Master Sgt. Brandon Bellmore, Mission Delta 2 Staff senior enlisted leader.

This mentorship is meant to help newer service members adapt to the military norms that may not be natural to them.

The GADP and LDP ensure that the Space Force does not lose sight of the military standards that define a profession of arms.

“The Air Force and Space Force have so many intelligent people, but sometimes the newer members are lacking that military discipline,” Bellmore said. “I think that was really the missing piece in the Space Force that GADP and LDP address.”

Bellmore was the co-lead of SpOC’s “Year of the Noncommissioned Officer” focus group, alongside USSF Senior Master Sgt. Aaron Szumiesz, 62nd Cyber Squadron SEL. The group met weekly for 48 weeks to determine how to best implement GADP and leadership initiatives across all of SpOC.

Leadership Development Program

Bellmore tailor-made and implemented the LDP to his squadron, Mission Delta 2’s S-Staff.

“How can the newer members be in standard if they don’t know what the standard is?” Bellmore continued. “It’s our job, as senior members of the Space Force, to teach them those standards.”

The squadron meets monthly for training sessions led by senior NCOs from the unit. These sessions have covered a wide range of topics, including professional military education subjects such as updated grooming standards and counseling, as well as personal finance topics like car loans and applying for FAFSA grants.

Bellmore originally joined the Army in 2003, working as an operator/maintainer for satellite communications. He transferred to the Space Force in 2022.

In the Army, Bellmore participated in noncommissioned officer professional development sessions quarterly. He emulated this by implementing the LDP within his squadron.

“One of the things I took away from my time in the Army is that our job as leaders is to provide purpose, direction, and motivation,” Bellmore said. “If we’re not doing that, we’re failing as leaders and mentors.”