State Leaders Make Case For F.E. Warren To House Nuclear Warfare Command

Press Release

The Air Force is shopping around for a home for the new Global Strike Command Center (GSCC) that will oversee all nuclear missions for the Air Force. In order to further make the case that Wyoming's F.E. Warren Air Force Base is the ideal location for the command, Governor Dave Freudenthal, U.S. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso and Representative Cynthia Lummis met with the Secretary of the Air Force today in Washington, D.C.

"We appreciate the Senators setting up this meeting. It was a productive discussion with Secretary of the Air Force Donley, in which we were allowed to make clear the many benefits of locating this facility in Cheyenne at F.E. Warren Air Force Base," said Gov. Dave Freudenthal.

"The Air Force heard from us loud and clear that F.E. Warren is the prime location to house this new command center. The base and Cheyenne have the land, the infrastructure and a very welcoming community - it would be a home run for the new command center. I look forward to the Air Force's decision. I want to thank Air Force Secretary Donley, Major General Ed Wright, Governor Freudenthal, Senator Barrasso, Congresswoman Lummis and Mayor Kaysen for the time they spent meeting with me. I applaud the rest of the Cheyenne delegation for their excellent presentation and for not leaving a stone unturned," said Enzi.

"A strong national defense remains vital to our country. Our land based nuclear deterrent system is a critical element of American security. F.E. Warren presents a strong strategic choice for the Air Force's Global Strike Command. F.E. Warren and Cheyenne present many positive attributes like affordable energy, regional air service, ground transportation and telecommunication infrastructure. The Air Force needs to get this right and Wyoming has the answers," said Barrasso.

"Secretary Donley was very gracious with his time," Rep. Lummis said. "I believe they heard of our message that Cheyenne is an ideal atmosphere for military families. Cheyenne is uniquely qualified to become the proud home of the Global Strike Command. The city has a long standing partnership with the military, and this new command is an opportunity to become an even stronger asset to the United States Air Force."

Also in attendance at the meeting were Major General Ed Wright, the Wyoming National Guard Adjutant General, Wyoming Business Council CEO Bob Jensen, Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen, Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dale Steenbergen and Cheyenne LEADS CEO Randy Bruns. The meeting was a follow-up after the Air Force site selection team visited F.E. Warren in mid-February. The GSCC would bring 900 jobs to the Cheyenne area.

Wyoming's F.E. Warren Air Force Base was named as one of six finalists and a final decision is set to be made by July. The other finalists include Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; Offut Air Force Base, Neb.; Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.; Minot Air Force Base, N.D.; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.

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