Sometimes art imitates life, but in this case, it seems like life is imitating art.
Friday marked the one-year anniversary since the latest branch of the military, the Space Force, was founded. To celebrate this moment, Vice President Mike Pence announced that official members of the Space Force will be referred to as “Guardians.”
“It is my honor, on behalf of the president of the United States, to announce that henceforth the men and women of the United States Space Force will be known as guardians,” Pence said in a statement according to the Associated Press. “Soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and guardians will be defending our nation for generations to come.”
Citizens would be remiss if they didn’t notice that this is eerily similar to the very successful Marvel movie series, Guardians of the Galaxy.
Despite giving trolls an easy lay-up, the Space Force stands by its decision. In a series of tweets, the branch explained that the title “guardian” holds historical relevance to the newly established initiative.
“The opportunity to name a force is a momentous responsibility. Guardians is a name with a long history in space operations, tracing back to the original command motto of Air Force Space Command in 1983, ‘Guardians of the High Frontier,'” the Space Force tweeted. “The name Guardians connects our proud heritage and culture to the important mission we execute 24/7, protecting the people and interest of the U.S. and its allies.”