In front of him stood 71 Space Force Guardians decked out in navy and light blue dress uniforms for their June 23 graduation day. For some, the Space Force offered a second chance at service.

This is the first story in a three-part series that follows recruits through the first-ever boot camp just for Space Force Guardians ... the recruitment office to graduation day.

The dismal failure of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft left two NASA astronauts stranded aboard the International Space Station this ... for his son's high school graduation or his daughter's send ...