U.S. Space Command leader Gen. James Dickinson told an audience in Huntsville, Alabama, that the final decision on locating the command headquarters at Redstone Arsenal should be coming soon. (Lee Roop/TNS)
(Tribune News Service) — Another national news report late this week dives into the growing Washington battle over moving the military headquarters of U.S. Space Command from Colorado to Alabama.
NBC national security and military reporter Courtney Kube’s lengthy and detailed report is headlined, “Space Command’s leader is building out his Colorado HQ even as Congress tries to force the HQ to move to Alabama.” Kube says the basing decision has “become a political liability with the Biden administration pushing for Colorado and many senior military leaders standing behind the process that selected Alabama.”
Among the issues raised as the decision remains unfinalized are Alabama’s strict abortion laws and their possible effect on command personnel and their families and money already spent to upgrade a temporary Colorado headquarters now being promoted as ready to support the command permanently.
U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., said this month Space Command commanding Gen. James Dickinson “confirmed” to Alabama’s congressional delegation in a private meeting that “the headquarters of U.S. Space Command belongs on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala.”
The “Republican-run House Appropriations subcommittee on defense went even further Wednesday,” Kube’s story says, “including a provision that (Air Force Sec. Frank) Kendall’s decision must be consistent with findings from a Government Accountability Office report and a Pentagon inspector general’s review, both of which found Huntsville, Alabama, was the preferable location. The language makes it impossible for Kendall to select any location other than Huntsville.”
The story also reports that the headquarters would be at Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal, where there is no base hospital, “leaving staff members and dependents to rely on local civilian medical providers. The military would have to pay for female service members and dependents to leave the state for abortions and some reproductive care.”
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