On June 30, Mayor Michael Taylor submitted a nomination on behalf of the city to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, the Honorable John Henderson, for consideration of Sterling Heights as the future headquarters for the United States Space Command.
The nomination was co-signed by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel.
The City’s proximity to Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the historic and strong defense presence within Macomb County’s “Arsenal of Democracy” are factors cited in support of the nomination. This region is world renowned for innovation in the defense industry and possesses the industrial base, elite academic institutions, skilled workforce, and strategic geographic location that all combine to make Sterling Heights the best choice.
Among the headquarter siting factors, Sterling Heights, Macomb County, and the State of Michigan cite the following as “The Michigan Advantage:”
- A highly skilled and educated populace
- Superior facilities and infrastructure
- Strong business support from the defense community
“When the City’s nomination is scored, we are confident that Sterling Heights will be a prime location for the headquarters for the United States Space Command,” notes Mayor Taylor. “There is a rich heritage in this region for defense assets and this is a strong foundation for this new undertaking.”
"Working alongside our governmental partners and private industry, we have grown to understand that Macomb County is a leader in defense production and innovation," said Macomb County Executive Mark A. Hackel. "As our state explores the feasibility of landing the United States Space Command in our community, we stand ready to illustrate our competitive advantage and showcase the inspiring capabilities we have right here in Macomb."
“As part of this nomination process, we have done an extensive review of the United States Space Command competition criteria,” said Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, Adjutant General and Director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “It is clear that with Macomb County’s industrial base, elite academic institutions, skilled manpower, strategic geographic location, and military infrastructure, there is no location that can offer greater value or capacity as a key component for future U.S. Space Forces.”
The United States Space Command is the newest of eleven unified commands in the Department of Defense. Space Command increases the ability of the Joint Force to project power and influence, reduces decision timelines for space operations, and brings focused attention to defending U.S. interests in space. Space Command is a critical first step in accelerating the ability of the Joint Force to defend vital national interests and deter adversaries.
Space Command is temporarily headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
Sterling Heights, Macomb County, and the State of Michigan look forward to the site selection process and the opportunity to demonstrate why the United States Space Command should locate in the City.