Gov. Mike DeWine backed the idea of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) and the surrounding Dayton region being the new headquarters for the United States Space Command.
“Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Dayton region would be excellent hosts for the U.S. Space Command’s new headquarters,” he said. “This area is already home to the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, and Air Force Material Command. It’s a powerful combination and a synergy that you can’t find anywhere else.”
Last month, the Department of Air Force and the Office of the Secretary of Defense said it would accept self-nominations if a base met specific criteria.
Some of the criteria include:
- Have a population base that is within the top 150 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the United States
- Located within 25 miles of a military base
- Have a Livability Index score of 50 points out of 100 or higher as determined by the American Association of Retired Persons Public Policy Institute.
In a letter sent to Assistant Secretary of the Air Force John Henderson Tuesday, he endorsed the nomination submitted by Beavercreek Mayor Bob Stone.
In Stone’s letter, he says the Beavercreek would be an ideal spot for the new Space Force headquarters because the town’s community meets all minimum eligibility requirements and would earn a competitive score based on the evaluation criteria.
Furthermore, 22 WPAFB area mayors and two county commissioners signed a letter supporting the nomination of WPAFB to be the next Space Force headquarters.
“The Dayton Region and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base are ideally positioned to host the permanent headquarters of USSPACECOM. The community offers an extensive trained and educated workforce in space-related fields supported by on-base organizations, contractors, and world-class academic institutions,” the letter says.
If the Space Force were to be relocated to Ohio, it would bring the state 1,400 new jobs, according to the governor’s press release.
Space Force’s current headquarters are temporarily based at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
President Donald Trump established the Space Force in December 2019 as America’s sixth military branch. This force’s responsibilities include “developing military space professionals, acquiring military space systems, maturing the military doctrine for space power, and organizing space forces to present to our Combatant Commands,” according to its about page.
– – –
Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Star News Digital Media. If you have any tips, email Zachery at [email protected]. Follow Zachery on Twitter @zacheryschmidt2.
