U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. Mark Natale jumped with the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) into the Sullivan Drop Zone at Fort Carson, Colorado, on April 24, becoming the first Guardian to conduct a joint airborne operation.
Natale, the chief strategy officer for Space Base Delta 41 at Schriever Space Force Base, exited a U.S. Marine Corps KC-130 Hercules alongside Army Green Berets after completing over 36 hours of preparation and months of coordination that included several weather-related cancellations, according to a Space Base Delta 41 release.
The operation was more than a personal achievement. It functioned as a proof of concept for embedding Guardians with elite joint units at a time when the service is building out its special operations footprint.
U.S. Special Operations Command formally established the Space Force Special Operations Command in 2025 to deliver specialized space personnel to SOF units, though the command has not yet been fully manned or stood up, a Space Force spokesperson told Task and Purpose.
“This was much more than a technical demonstration, it was a validation of our proof of concept that we can take a Guardian with a unique skillset, get them cross-trained and recertified, then have them embed with an elite joint force, jump from an aircraft in flight and provide Space capabilities on the drop zone,” Natale said.
Before transferring to the Space Force in the first wave of non-Air Force interservice transfers, Natale spent 18 years in the Army with over a decade in special operations forces and 12 years overseas. He was one of the few Army signal officers cross-trained in cyber, electronic warfare and space operations. He served on jump status from 2010 to 2021 and held jumpmaster qualifications, which required a rigorous recertification process before the April operation.
The 10th Special Forces Group operators who participated requested that more Guardians follow the same path, Natale said.
“I hope that this shows every Guardian, regardless of rank, that we can expand our capabilities and prove to the Joint Force that we can hang with the most elite of the elite,” Natale said. “As Guardians, we need to operate outside our comfort zone. To prove that we are combat focused, we need to do what they do, train like they train and operate where they operate.”
