U.S. Space Command: Air Force's Reevaluation of Headquarters Location and Status of Operations , May 29 , 2025
U.S. Space Command: Air Force's Reevaluation of Headquarters Location and Status of Operations , May 29 , 2025
From the report: “From May 2022 through June 2023, the Air Force employed an evolving three-phased process to reevaluate its preferred location for U.S. Space Command headquarters in response to GAO and DOD Office of Inspector General report recommendations and requests from senior DOD officials. During its reevaluation, the Air Force reviewed basing requirements, selection criteria, and senior officials’ advice; analyzed costs; and evaluated implications of the Command’s declaration of full operational capability, among other things. At the culmination of this process in June 2023, the Air Force revalidated Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama as its preferred headquarters location. However, the then Secretary of the Air Force did not announce a final decision, and in July 2023, DOD announced the then President had selected Colorado Springs, Colorado as the permanent location for U.S. Space Command headquarters.
The Air Force’s reevaluation process incorporated some elements of 11 selected Analysis of Alternatives (AOA) best practices to revalidate its preferred location for U.S. Space Command headquarters. Air Force officials told GAO the reevaluation intended to address the seven best practices GAO found to be not met or minimally met in its 2022 report. GAO also determined the Air Force incorporated elements of four other best practices that GAO previously found were partially or substantially met. Although GAO found that shortfalls persisted in these best practices, in March 2024, the Air Force strengthened its future strategic basing process by addressing GAO’s June 2022 recommendation to develop related guidance that is consistent with GAO’s AOA best practices.”
Authors - Government Accountability Office (GAO)Related Resources
