Senators Isakson, Perdue Applaud Atlanta Selection As Finalist For U.S. Army Futures Command

Georgia congressional delegation sent March letter highlighting Atlanta assets

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA) today applauded the announcement by U.S. Army senior leaders that Atlanta would advance to additional consideration as home to its new Futures Command.

U.S. Army Undersecretary Ryan McCarthy announced the list of the final contenders in a letter sent on April 17, 2018, to the leadership of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. In his letter, McCarthy cites the Army’s desire to locate the command “near leading academic and commercial institutions to harness the best talent possible in emerging technology and innovation.”

“As the U.S. Army modernizes to meet new challenges and a modern battlefield, our soldiers must have the best access and equipment to fight and win in combat,” said Senator Isakson. “I’m glad to see that the Army recognizes Atlanta’s unique advantages. As final decisions are considered, the Georgia delegation and I will gladly continue working together with Army leaders to see to it they fully understand all that Atlanta and the surrounding region have to offer.”

“There’s no doubt in my mind that Atlanta is the best place for the Army Futures Command,” said Senator Perdue, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “Atlanta is the Southeast’s innovation hub and gateway to the world. These resources will support the Army Futures Command in their efforts to modernize and prepare for combat missions. Congratulations to everyone who has worked hard to get us to this point. I strongly believe that locating this Command in Atlanta is essential to providing for our national defense.”

In a March 14, 2018, letter led by Senators Isakson and Perdue to U.S. Secretary of the Army Mark Esper, the Georgia congressional delegation provided supporting examples of why Georgia and the metro Atlanta region could support the Army’s mission. They describe the “numerous resources available to Futures Command in Atlanta” including 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.

The cities cited by McCarthy as being under consideration are Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, Raleigh, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle.

Background:

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.

In addition to Senators Isakson and Perdue, the letter was signed by U.S. Representatives Buddy Carter (GA-01), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Drew Ferguson (GA-03), Hank Johnson (GA-04), John Lewis (GA-05), Karen Handel (GA-06), Rob Woodall (GA-07), Austin Scott (GA-08), Doug Collins (GA-09), Jody Hice (GA-10), Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), Rick Allen (GA-12), David Scott (GA-13), and Tom Graves (GA-14).