The recently reestablished U.S. Space Command Headquarters has officially been operating out of Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs since Sept. 9, 2019. And this isn’t the first time.

U.S. Space Command was initially formed in 1985 and was in Colorado Springs until its closure in 2002.

But for decades, Colorado Springs continued to conduct space operations globally, 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, 365 days-a-year. Colorado Springs has had the watch.

Today, Colorado Springs continues to possess the trained military personnel and technical expertise necessary to assume the responsibilities of a Unified Combatant Command for space and the space-related responsibilities previously assigned to United States Strategic Command.

In March 2019, the Colorado congressional delegation and Gov. Jared Polis joined together and urged the U.S. Department of Defense to reestablish U.S. Space Command and to locate that combatant command in Colorado.

The creation of a Unified Combatant Command focused on space is vitally important to ensuring military readiness, training for defensive/offensive space control operations, and deterring acts of aggression by potential adversaries such as China and Russia. Efforts to reorganize military space operations and organizations is long overdue.

In July 2019, shortly after his confirmation, I sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper encouraging him to establish U.S. Space Command in Colorado.

When it comes to operations and missions, there’s no question that Colorado Springs is the epicenter of national security space. Whether personnel supported the first U.S. Space Command, Air Force Space Command, or the provisional U.S. Space Command headquarters — Colorado Springs has proudly supported the military space mission.

But there’s another equally important mission outside the installation gates. And that mission, is to support the military families of the men and women who serve in defense of our nation.

We’ve heard the phrase “you recruit the member but retain the family.”

For the men and women serving in our nation’s armed forces, the phrase is personal. When one family member serves, their family serves, and sacrifices, alongside them.

Colorado has been a nationwide leader on efforts to support transitioning military families. Community support in our state for military operations, personnel, and their families cannot be matched.

State and community partners understand the importance of these aspects of military service and have undertaken efforts to address the growing needs of our military families.

In recent years, Defense Department surveys and independent studies have affirmed that a military family’s satisfaction with the military lifestyle directly impacts the mission readiness and retention of the serving member.

There is no effort more noble than serving the families of those who serve our nation – it is simply the right thing to do.

Colorado understands these needs well. That’s why this year, the Colorado State Legislature unanimously approved licensure reciprocity for military spouses for three years at no cost. It is why the state works hard to ensure access for military dependents in need of individualized education, specialty medical care and childcare. Military families don’t just serve in our communities, they are our co-workers, neighbors and friends.

Colorado is first in military space assets, Colorado puts military families first, and Colorado is first in space. On a per capita basis, Colorado has the nation’s largest aerospace economy and ranks first in concentration of aerospace jobs.

As the Colorado congressional delegation pointed out in an August 2019 letter to acting Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Donovan and Commander of U.S. Space Command Gen. John W. Raymond: “The presence of the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs also strengthens the mission for space superiority through the development of our next generation of space leaders and essential research and development driven by the evolving challenges in space. Throughout the basing process, the Colorado community has demonstrated continued support for U.S. Space Command, further augmenting the workforce talent, innovation in industry, institutions of higher education, national labs, and unparalleled quality of life Colorado already provides.”

Whether its our military space infrastructure — at Peterson Air Force Base, Buckley Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base, the National Space Defense Center, U.S. Northern Command, or North American Aerospace Defense Command — or our state and communities’ efforts to put military families first and continue to develop a qualified workforce — Colorado Springs is the perfect place to be the permanent home to U.S. Space Command.

There’s a reason why Fort Carson is the “Best Hometown in the Army.” It’s because Colorado Springs is the “Best Hometown in the Military.”

Col. Nate Springer, the garrison commander at Fort Carson, captures this sentiment best in an editorial he recently penned in Colorado Springs. He wrote “My family and I have been stationed across the globe at many of the nicest and most sought-after locations in the Department of Defense. Wurzburg, Germany; Monterey, California; and Wahiawa, Hawaii, while charming in their own ways, never afforded this sense of belonging. I have never experienced a community that cares more or offers more tangible support for its soldiers and families. The kindness and generosity that I have witnessed here in just my first six months is nothing short of inspiring. We have been embraced, advised, let in on the jokes, and included.

On behalf of Fort Carson, thank you to the countless businesses and community members who have extended the kindness that makes us feel sure we’re home.”

While the mission is what brings military members and Defense Department civilians to our state, it’s the community that makes them want to stay.