Governor Kay Ivey (R-AL) on Tuesday opened the Yellowhammer State’s pitch to house the permanent headquarters of the U.S. Space Command.
Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal was recently confirmed as one of six finalists for the HQ.
Space Command was approved by Congress in 2018, and President Donald Trump subsequently directed its elevation as the 11th functional Unified Combatant Command.
In a Tuesday tweet, Ivey advised, “I just wrapped up a great call with Pentagon officials. I was proud to pitch why [Alabama] should be home to Space Command HQ.”
“I would love to give a warm ‘Alabama’ welcome to [Space Command] HQ in the near future, if they choose the Rocket City!” the governor added.
I just wrapped up a great call with Pentagon officials. I was proud to pitch why AL should be home to Space Command HQ. I would love to give a warm “Alabama” welcome to @US_SpaceCom HQ in the near future, if they choose the Rocket City! @huntsvillecity @TeamRedstone #alpolitics pic.twitter.com/mzfvf67vk9
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) December 22, 2020
Ivey has previously identified Alabama’s “many space/defense assets” and “our skilled workforce” as key reasons why the state “has the support structure needed to execute the mission” as the home of Space Command headquarters.
In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Ivey spokesperson Gina Maiola summarized Ivey’s conversation with the Pentagon earlier that day.
“Governor Ivey opened up Alabama’s pitch to Pentagon officials today for why our Redstone Region should be home to the Space Command Headquarters,” Maiola advised. “She reminded them that our state is leading in the defense industry and provides all of the essential elements to meet the needs for the permanent home to Space Command. Alabama has longstanding support for our military and a storied history when it comes to space exploration. During today’s call, Governor Ivey also highlighted the work that our state has already done to be military family-friendly, whether it be creating career paths for military spouses or having good schools for their children.”
“Governor Ivey is more than ready to give a warm Alabama welcome to Space Command Headquarters, and she believes that we are the right choice,” she concluded. “They called Alabama’s pitch today ‘first class.’”
Colorado’s Peterson Air Force Base, Space Command’s current temporary headquarters, is one of the other five finalists, along with New Mexico’s Kirtland Air Force Base, Nebraska’s Offutt Air Force Base, Florida’s Patrick Air Force Base and Texas’ Port San Antonio.
A previous release from Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle’s office stated that the Air Force expects to publicly announce in early 2021 which finalist location will permanently host Space Command HQ.
“The Redstone region provides an unparalleled workforce for the U.S. Space Command with capabilities that include missile defense, aerospace, and intelligence,” said Battle. “We have the infrastructure capacity, community support, low cost of doing business and high-quality expertise to serve as the headquarters for USSPACECOM. When you analyze all the variables, Huntsville is the clear choice for this vitally important unified combatant command.”
Read more from the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce here on why Redstone is the best choice for Space Command HQ.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
