Is Service In the Space Force covered under the SCRA?

The answer is probably “yes”, but it appears that both Congress and DMDC might need to do some clean up.

The SCRA, at 50 USC §3911(1) defines a “servicemember” as a member of the “uniformed services” as defined in 10 USC §(a)(5) which includes the Space Force. But, when defining “military service” (an important term that dictates when SCRA protections are applicable) the SCRA, at 50 USC §3911(2) enumerates specific service component branches and this Code section has not been amended to include the ‘Space Force (as of the date of this article, November 11, 2021).

The Status Reports issued by DMDC have a similar inconsistency. The Report will confirm duty in the Space Force, but the recitation of Service Components omits the Space Force. These matters have been brought to the attention of the DMDC and the office of the general counsel of the Space Force.

Attorney Roy Kaufmann serves as the Director of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Centralized Verification Service, located in Washington, D.C. As a recognized authority on the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, Mr. Kaufmann has published hundreds of articles and hosted many webinars. His teachings help law firms and businesses to remain compliant with the SCRA rules and regulations so as to avoid costly fines.