Denver Post March 15, 2002
Homeland post possible for Springs
By Jennifer Beauprez
Friday, March 15, 2002 - Local defense contractors are buzzing about the possibility of Colorado Springs becoming the center of the nation's homeland defense operations. But experts are divided on whether the Pentagon will put those operations in Colorado.
"It's a hot topic," said Rocky Scott, president of the Economic Development Council of Colorado Springs. "Contractors are falling all over themselves. But the odds are against us."
The Pentagon is revising its Unified Command Plan, which divides U.S. military coverage of the world. For example, the Central Command, located in Tampa, Fla., directs all military operations in Afghanistan, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.
Addressing cyberterror too
Until Sept. 11, there had been no war-fighting command covering the United States. Pentagon officials are expected to decide in the next two to three months where the new Northern Command should have its headquarters.
That new Northern Command unit will not only protect against enemy airstrikes but also handle cyberterrorist threats against computer attacks on military, bank and utilities systems, as well as handle sea-based coastal defenses, National Guard deployments such as those at airports and local response to terrorism.
In the running with Colorado Springs for the home base are Norfolk, Va.; Omaha; and Washington.
"Frankly, it's very much up for grabs," said Glen Bruels, a senior vice president with defense consulting firm Booz Allen & Hamilton Inc. "There are a lot of politics involved in this, and there are a lot of people vying for this up and down the East Coast."
Aiding connections
Such a headquarters probably wouldn't bring an influx of jobs or a new facility, but it could boost Colorado Springs' stature as a military hub and perhaps fuel the bank accounts of contractors hoping to grab a piece of the $48 billion increase in defense spending next year.
"It would be good news to Colorado Springs," said Loren Thompson, a defense analyst with Lexington Institute in Arlington, Va.
"Most of the economic activity generated would not be military but contractors trying to get close to the people who make the decisions on where to buy."
In addition to the Air Force Academy and Fort Carson, Colorado Springs is home to three key military commands that make the city a prime candidate for the base, including:
U.S. Space Command, which oversees space operations and computer network operations. Those include such things as controlling communication and weather satellites and handling missile warnings.
North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, which is a U.S.-Canadian operation that provides missile warning or air defenses for all of North America.
Air Force Space Command, which organizes, trains and equips officials who launch and track systems in space.
Combined, the operations employ 1,000 people in Cheyenne Mountain.
"There is no better place to put the homeland defense base than in Colorado Springs," Thompson said. "You want it away from the ocean, away from foreign countries, and you want it in a place where there is already a well-established military infrastructure."
Elliot Pulham, president of the United States Space Foundation, said he was encouraged about the Springs' chances after meeting with the homeland defense task force on Tuesday.
"From the conversations, I would say that Colorado Springs is still very much in consideration," Pulham said.
"They understand this has always been a strong state in national defense, that this has always been a patriotic state, that we've got a lot to offer technologically, and that the workforce is strong."
But John Pike, an analyst with GlobalSecurity.org in Washington, said he thinks Colorado Springs will be the least likely candidate for the command unit.
"You'd like to have it close to Washington because the command will work much more closely with other federal agencies," Pike said.
"The Central Command is going around blowing up Afghanistan, and (unlike the Northern Command) they don't have to deal with the post office. They don't have to check with the FBI. They don't have to deal with pesky lawmakers."
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