Cornyn on New U.S. Army Futures Command in Austin: ‘Our Country’s Future Military Readiness Depends on it’

In advance of the U.S. Army Futures Command’s activation ceremony in Austin Friday, I discussed the importance of the new command on the Senate floor. Excerpts of my remarks are below, and video can be found here. 

In a world with rapidly evolving threats distinct from others we’ve faced throughout our nation’s history, the Futures Command could not come at a more pivotal time.

The Army chose Austin because it wanted to be close to a hub of innovation… There are major academic institutions nearby like the University of Texas at Austin, St. Edwards, Texas State, and Texas A&M, with thousands of students graduating each year with degrees in STEM fields.

It's also worth noting Austin has become a hub for start-up culture and is ground zero when it comes to youthful talent, technological ingenuity, and path-breaking ideas that are changing industries, institutions, and what our normal ways of doing things were in the past.

But Austin, let's not forget, is also a military city. We know Camp Mabry is there, the headquarters of the Texas Army and Air National Guards and the Texas State Guard. Not far away is the ‘Great Place’ called Fort Hood, as well as Joint Base San Antonio to the south. Those military installations will now be joined by the Army Futures Command in Austin giving the bustling, live music capital of the world an entirely new brand and reason for attention.

If San Antonio, my hometown, is Military City, USA, you might call Austin Military Innovation City, USA.

Our country's future military readiness depends on it.

In a world still marred by conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, strained by escalating cybersecurity threats, and threatened by the increased belligerence of China and Russia, the U.S. military must keep pace with evolving technologies in order to maintain our strategic advantage and to maintain the peace. Modernization is a key to deterring aggression, promoting that peace, and projecting American strength around the globe.

It’s imperative that as brave men and women continue to answer the call to service, even in such harrowing times as ours, that we do our part to give them the tools they need to be successful. The Army's Futures Command, therefore, is most definitely a step in the right direction.