WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel urging him to consider relocating the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) from Germany to Hampton Roads. The joint letter followed the release of a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report  on Monday which was critical of the Defense Department’s lack of transparency when it decided earlier this year to maintain its AFRICOM headquarters in Europe. GAO estimated that relocation of the command stateside would save as much as $70 million a year and create up to 4,300 jobs.

Sens. Warner and Kaine ask Secretary Hagel to revisit that earlier decision in light of the GAO findings, and the Virginia senators also urge Secretary Hagel to consider the existing military investment and joint-service assets in Hampton Roads:

“Hampton Roads represents one of the largest concentrations of joint and service-unique military commands in the United States,” the Senators wrote. “The region offers joint installations, command-and-control resources, training and education facilities that could superbly support AFRICOM’s mission… [Additionally] Norfolk and its adjoining communities already have first-class facilities to accommodate AFRICOM’s mission. For example, DoD spent $373 million in physical and communications infrastructure in the region intended for U.S. Joint Forces Command, which since has been decommissioned.”

In 2011, Sen. Warner and then-Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) urged the Pentagon to consider Hampton Roads for a permanent location for AFRICOM. At that time, Stuttgart was considered to be a temporary headquarters.  

The text of the Warner/Kaine letter follows:

13.09.10 Secretary Hagel AFRICOM Relocation