Wright-Patterson Air Force Base | Photo by R.J. Oriez | Wright-Patterson Photo Gallery
Earlier this month, Gov. Mike DeWine sent a letter to President Donald Trump petitioning for the U.S Space Command Headquarters to be relocated from Colorado to Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
The reason for relocation
The U.S Space Command Headquarters was established in Aug. 2019 in Colorado as a temporary location. On May 15, states began to place bids on being the permanent location for the headquarters.
“This area [Fairborn, OH] 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,” said Gov. DeWine in his bid this past summer. “It’s a powerful combination and a synergy that you can’t find anywhere else.”
Bids were due on June 30, but it is not expected for a location to be chosen until early 2021. In the meantime, Gov. DeWine and other officials across Ohio have continued to preach their support and desire for the U.S Space Command Headquarters to relocate to Ohio.
The fight for the headquarters
On Sept. 17, Gov. DeWine sent a letter to President Trump to further reinforce the idea behind relocating the Headquarters to the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Fairborn, OH.
“Ohio possesses a strong track record in populating science-rich jobs with a superior workforce,” said Gov. DeWine. “I also recommend that Secretary Esper strongly consider the consolidation of space intelligence activities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the establishment of the Space Development Agency’s mission in Ohio, thereby taking advantage of our Air Force research.”
Gov. Dewine’s efforts have been supported by other state officials, such as Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman.
“I believe @WrightPatABF is the best location to serve as the new headquarters for US Space Command,” said Senator Rob Portman on Twitter after writing his own petition statement to the Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett.
In addition to state official support, the Dayton Development Coalition continues to play a vital role in advocating for the US Space Command Headquarters to relocate to Fairborn. After all, this relocation would provide many jobs and opportunities for Fairborn residents.
“While there’s been a lot of discussion about the 1,400 jobs the headquarters would bring to the area, that’s just the beginning. The economic impact would include everything from the jobs created by the construction of the headquarters, Space Force contractors locating to Dayton to be close to leadership and all the jobs created by new residents as they live their lives in the region,” said Dayton Development Coalition’s executive vice president for aerospace and defense Elaine Bryant. “It’s important for WSU students to keep in mind that Dayton already has opportunities for people wanting to work for the Space Force.”
The final decision
While it is currently unknown exactly what opportunities will be presented for WSU specifically if the Headquarters relocate to Fairborn, WSU students and faculty are still excited for the possibilities to come.
“The presence of the Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL, NASIC, and other Air Force centers continue to be an economic boon to the Dayton region, especially given the number of technical and scientific job positions attached to those entities and their supporting contractors. Our college has enjoyed a number of long-lasting collaborations within those communities that have generated countless research projects and employment options for our students,” said professor and Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science Brian Rigling.
The final decision will be announced in early 2021.
