Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110

§9254 Authority to Designate Certain Separated Members of the Air Force as Honorary Separated Members of the Space Force

Title 10 › Subtitle D — Air Force and Space Force › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 933 — MISCELLANEOUS RIGHTS AND BENEFITS › § 9254

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Air Force may make rules to let some former Air Force members be officially named honorary separated members of the Space Force. People given this honor can be called "Legacy Guardian." The rules can say who qualifies (including service dates and service credit), set up an application that the person or their survivor can use, and provide a certificate, badge, or other insignia. The honor does not give any benefits beyond what the rules allow. "Eligible individual" means someone the Secretary finds served in support of space operations as an Air Force member and who separated from the armed forces as an Air Force member.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §9254

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Authority.—

The Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe regulations that authorize an eligible individual to be designated as an honorary separated member of the Space Force. An eligible individual so designated may be referred to as a “Legacy Guardian”.

(b)Elements.—

Regulations prescribed under this section may include the following elements:

(1)Eligibility criteria, including applicable dates of service and constructive service credit, for designation under this section.

(2)An application process through which an eligible individual, or a survivor of a deceased eligible individual, may apply for such designation of such eligible individual.

(3)A certificate, approved device, or other insignia of such designation.

(c)Rule of Construction.—

Designation of an eligible individual under this section shall not be construed to entitle such eligible individual to any benefit in addition to those established by this section or pursuant to regulations prescribed under this section.

(d)Eligible Individual Defined.—

In this section, the term “eligible individual” means an individual—

(1)whom the Secretary of the Air Force determines served in support of space operations as a member of the Air Force; and

(2)who separates (or previously separated) from the armed forces as a member of the Air Force.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 9254

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110