U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and David Perdue, R-Ga., joined the entire Georgia congressional delegation in urging the Pentagon to consider Georgia as home to the new Futures Command of the U.S. Army.
 
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Army Mark Esper, the delegation seized on Esper’s comments in his testimony before the U.S. Committee on Armed Services on Dec. 7, 2017, that our soldiers’ future success depends upon the Army’s efforts to reform and modernize now.
 
In 2017, the Army announced it would begin to focus on six modernization efforts to improve its performance to better combat modern-day threats. This modernization effort includes a new Futures Command to lead the restructuring of how the Army researches, develops, and procures new equipment. The Army has also acknowledged that the home of the new command must be a city with access to academia and business expertise.
 
“The Georgia delegation applauds your efforts in modernizing the U.S. Army and improving the acquisition process to give our soldiers the needed equipment to fight, and overwhelmingly win, in combat,” the letter reads.
 
The letter goes on to emphasize that Atlanta, as the largest hub for the private sector and innovation in the Southeast region, is home to an array of advantageous assets to the U.S. Army.
 
“Members of Congress from Georgia are dedicated to supporting our servicemen and women, and in doing so, we urge you to fully consider the numerous resources available to Futures Command in Atlanta,” the letter continues.
 
Georgia and the metro Atlanta region could support the Army’s mission with technology resources and experts, world-class academia in the fields of science, technology and business, the world’s largest airport, excellent quality of life and strong support of all branches of the U.S. Department of Defense with more than a dozen military installations across the state.
 
In addition to Isakson and Perdue, the letter was signed by U.S. Representatives Buddy Carter, R-Ga.-01, Sanford Bishop, D-Ga.-02, Drew Ferguson, R-Ga.-03, Hank Johnson, D-Ga.-04, John Lewis, D-Ga.-05, Karen Handel, R-Ga.-06, Rob Woodall, R-Ga.-07, Austin Scott, R-Ga.-08, Doug Collins, R-Ga.-09, Jody Hice, R-Ga.-10, Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga.-11, Rick Allen, R-Ga.-12, David Scott, D-Ga.-13, and Tom Graves, R-Ga.-14.