Jews in Space(Force)! Merrick Garb U.S. Space Force Collection

Merrick Garb U.S. Space Force Collection

As Collections Curator, I spend a lot of my time talking to Jewish Washingtonians about their work: I’ve seen items from a lot of interesting careers, but this was my first opportunity to see objects relating to a career in the US Space Force, the newest branch of the US military. As part of the Museum’s initiative to collect and share stories of Jewish federal workers, I spoke with Merrick Garb, whose civil service career has spanned sixteen years.

Garb pictured with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on the secretary’s last day in this role. Garb noted the tradition on a secretary’s last day to shake hands with Pentagon employees and to give them challenge coins. Photograph courtesy of Merrick Garb.

He began as an intern in the Pentagon in the Summer of 2008 under Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. For nine of his sixteen years of civilian service, he served as a civilian employee of the U.S. Air Force, first in personnel policy and then nine years in the Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, eventually working across three different divisions. In 2013, he began with the International Airmen division, eventually developing a passion for work in the Indo-Pacific, then served the Japan and South Korea desks in 2014 and 2015. Then Garb moved to the division of International Armaments cooperation. There, he authored and negotiated cooperative agreements between the Air Force Research Lab and international partners. These agreements helped develop next-generation technologies, leveraging expertise from Allies/International Partners through projects with equal cost sharing.

In December 2019, President Trump established the United States Space Force. The United States Space Force (USSF) is the newest branch of the Armed Forces, established to organize, train, and equip Guardians to secure our Nation’s interests in, from, and to space. Its primary purpose is to ensure freedom of operation in the space domain, protect U.S. and allied interests, and provide space-based capabilities (such as GPS, communications, and missile warning) that are essential to modern warfighting and daily civilian life.

In March 2026, Garb jumped at the chance to join the ranks of Space Force. Garb and all other Space force personnel–both civilian and military–are known as the Guardians. He is the first Commercial, Civil, and Interagency Partnerships Branch Chief in the Global Partnerships Directorate, Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Requirements, and Analysis, Headquarters U.S. Space Force, Pentagon. He coordinates the Space Force’s partnerships with NASA, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the Intelligence Community. He and his team are directly involved in implementing the Service’s first Commercial Space Strategy, to leverage private sector dual-use technology for mission success.

A challenge coin for Garb’s current unit, S5P Global Partnership Division, that includes the motto for their service, ‘Semper Supra’ which means ‘always above.’ Courtesy of Merrick Garb.

When I went to collect artifacts from Garb, I pulled dozens of intricately designed patches and challenge coins out of his bag from his 16-year career. The Space Force, like many military agencies and other government programs, has a design team that produces patches and challenge coins for each mission. A challenge coin is a small coin or medallion bearing an organization’s insignia or emblem and carried by the organization’s members. Traditionally, they are given to prove membership when challenged and to enhance morale. From Garb, I collected patches and coins representing various units of the U.S. Air Force and the Space Force.

But the shiny things weren’t what meant the most to Garb. Rather, the items he cherished most from his service turned out to be a pen and piece of paper.

In 2023, the US Air Force presented this certificate to Garb as part of his Meritorious award for Civilian Achievement. The citation reads,

In recognition of his distinguished performance as an International Armaments Cooperation Specialist, Armaments Cooperation Division, Policy, Programs, and Strategy Directorate, Deputy Undersecretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, the Pentagon, Washington District of Columbia., from 13 September 2015 to 25 March 2023. Mr. Garb grew the Air Force’s research and development portfolio with five strategically important Indo-Pacific Allies and Partners focused on India, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia. He shepherded the Service’s collaborations with India’s Defense Research and Development Organization to a record six projects worth $44 million. Mr. Garb advanced the first United States-India Defense Technology and Trade Initiative Air- Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Co-Development project. The landmark Agreement was lauded by President Biden and Prime Minister Modi in their 2021 Joint Leaders Statement. The distinguished accomplishments of Mr. Garb reflect credit upon himself and the Dept. of the Air Force.

Mr. Garb noted the meritorious civilian service medal is given to the top 1% of Air Force civil servants. Courtesy of Merrick Garb.

Of equal value to Mr. Garb was a pen used to sign what he defined as his biggest accomplishment so far in his career. Garb authored and negotiated an agreement for a $22 million Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) project, with costs split equally. The effort took nearly five years to develop and conclude, and was the DoD’s first co-development project between the United States in India.

The pen used to sign the legally binding memorandum of understanding for the Air Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Project Agreement that Garb authored, negotiated, and concluded. Courtesy of Merrick Garb.

Visit the museum to see artifacts from Garb’s career in both the Air Force and the Space Force, on display in the museum’s first floor lobby May 5^th – June 2^nd. You’ll see the certificates and Garb’s favorite artifact (the pen), but also colorful patches and challenge coins.

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The Museum’s initiative to collect items telling the stories of local Jewish federal workers is supported by Sue Ducat in memory of Stanley Cohen z”l.

If you have artifacts or images related to Jewish federal workers in the DC region, please contact us at [email protected].