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National Defense Authorization Act also includes Nelson’s call for benchmarks on transition in Afghanistan and elevation of the National Guard
December 1, 2011 – Tonight, the U.S. Senate approved full authorization of a new headquarters for U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, as the Senate passed the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 93 to 7.
“I’m very pleased that a new modern facility for STRATCOM is on the brink of becoming a reality. This is a victory for our national security and a victory for Nebraska,” said Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee. “This project will create jobs, replace an aging, outdated facility with a 21st Century high-tech command center to oversee America’s nuclear and non-nuclear forces, and protect us from the rapidly emerging threat of cyber-warfare.”
The National Defense Authorization Act sets America’s military and national defense priorities. A defense authorization bill has been passed by the Senate every year since 1961.
The 2012 National Defense Authorization Act formally authorizes construction of the new STRATCOM headquarters and also includes:
• Legislation Nelson wrote to require the Administration to set benchmarks evaluating progress toward the goal of transitioning security responsibilities to the Government of Afghanistan by December 31, 2014, and
• Legislation Nelson co-sponsored to elevate the Chief of the National Guard to membership in the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, putting the Guard on equal status as the four branches of the military.
“As we move toward the 2014 goal of the Afghan government leading and conducting all military operations in Afghanistan, benchmarks are needed to measure whether we’re on the right path or if we need to make corrections to meet the 2014 objective,” Nelson said. “Benchmarks provide a way to assess the 2014 goal.”
Specifically, Nelson’s legislation would provide for the establishment of new transition benchmarks and updates on those benchmarks to be included in the semi-annual reports to Congress on progress toward security and stability in Afghanistan, which are already produced.
Nelson has advocated and authored previous requirements for other benchmarks in Afghanistan and for the U.S. effort in Iraq. The new benchmarks would focus on the transition to Afghan forces leading security operations in that country.
The elevation of the National Guard is also an important step for national security.
“The Guard should be given a seat at the table with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to ensure its 500,000 members receive the training, resources and equipment they need to fulfill their unique state and federal national security responsibilities,” Nelson said. “This comes down to making sure the Guard has a seat at the table and an equal voice in the room when decisions are made that affect protecting us in our home towns and abroad,” said Nelson.
For years, the National Guard served as a “strategic reserve” force to the active duty force. Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the Guard has become an “operational reserve” that has deployed in regular rotation with the active duty and reserve forces.
The U.S. Senate’s 2012 National Defense Authorization Act will now go to a conference committee to resolve any differences with the version already passed by the U.S. House of Representatives
Nelson was responsible for overseeing the portion of the Senate’s Defense Authorization bill dealing with strategic defense, including STRATCOM. He has worked for several years with the Pentagon, STRATCOM officials, and people in the Omaha and Bellevue community to make sure that STRATCOM’s needs are addressed.
During the anticipated four-year construction, the Air Force estimates 400 people will be employed building the new STRATCOM headquarters, with an additional 100 jobs associated with support efforts.
“This is important because those jobs will help Nebraska’s economy, our communities, many small businesses, and hundreds of Nebraska families,” Nelson said. “Moreover, today STRATCOM’s operations support 1,689 civilian and military jobs. They are expected to grow once the new headquarters is complete, as STRATCOM meets its varied 21st Century mission.”
U.S. Strategic Command is one of ten U.S. unified commands under the Department of Defense. DOD defines STRATCOM’s mission as promoting global security for America by:
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Deterring attacks on U.S. vital interests and defending the nation, should deterrence fail
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Leading, planning, and executing strategic deterrence operations
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Ensuring U.S. freedom of action in space and cyberspace
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Delivering integrated kinetic and non-kinetic effects in support of U.S. Joint Force Commanders
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Synchronizing global missile defense plans and operations
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Synchronizing regional combating of weapons of mass destruction plans
STRATCOM's existing headquarters was built in 1957 and has weathered the five decades with little renovation. In recent years, the building has experienced failures in electrical service and cooling water, as well as fires and flooding.
“These challenges have impacted STRATCOM’s ability to carry out its expanding mission. It’s clear to everyone that as our country’s lead command center to deter nuclear threats, to protect space, and to safeguard cyberspace, STRATCOM is essential to America’s security and must have safe and suitable facilities to carry out its mission,” Nelson said. “I’m very pleased we are on track to begin construction of the project next year. And I’ll fight to keep this key national security facility moving forward.”
Nelson took the first step toward addressing STRATCOM’s shortcomings by pushing for planning and design of a new headquarters in 2008. Upon completion of that initial phase, full authorization and funding of a new one-million-square-foot headquarters was included in the President’s budget submitted to Congress this year. Congress is now moving to make that a reality.
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