"I am incredibly proud of the men and women who made the bold decision to volunteer to join the U.S. Space Force and defend the ultimate high ground," Gen. Jay Raymond, chief of space operations of the U.S. Space Force, said in a statement. 

The military branch announced June 9 that the applicants included a mix of officers and enlisted personnel from 13 career fields. In addition, approximately 16,000 military and civilians from the former U.S. Air Force Space Command are now assigned to the Space Force. This transfer process will officially commission or enlist military members into the Space Force, according to the statement.

"It is a critical time for space, and those airmen will build the Space Force necessary to compete, deter, and win as required to meet the needs of the National Defense Strategy," Raymond said. 

However, not all volunteer applicants will be accepted. The Space Force is reviewing transfer applications, Air Force Specialty Codes, and rank requirements to determine who will be selected for transfer. The service expects that approximately 6,000 of the applicants will be selected. 

A notification will be sent out in July explaining the next steps for those who are accepted. Depending on the career field, transfers will begin as early as Sept. 1, 2020.