The U.S. Space Force has marked another milestone for the history books: the first official deployment of its troops – and it’s not to the moon.

Twenty airmen assigned to the 16th Expeditionary Space Control Flight and the 609th Air Operations Center at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, transferred into the military’s newest branch during enlistment or oath of office ceremonies earlier this month, according to a news release. The airmen are in organic space career fields such as space operations and space systems operations, officials said.

“Those participating in today’s ceremony are not only joining our nation’s newest service, they are joining this service while deployed in defense of our nation,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Todd Benson, director of Space Forces for U.S. Air Forces Central Command, in the release.

“They are the first members of the United States Space Force to be deployed in support of combat operations,” he said of the Sept. 1 ceremonies, which marked the start of transferring personnel into the sixth military branch.

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The 16th Space Control Flight hails from Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, which hosts a robust space mission.

Airmen have routinely supported exercises and deployments for troops who rely on space assets on the battlefield, including satellite communications and other networking resources. But airmen who’ve deployed for the latest mission anticipate “watching technology and tactics evolve as the U.S. rises to thwart adversary efforts,” according to the release.

Read more: Military.com