Great possibilities exist for UND, Grand Forks Air Force Base and the community as the U.S. Space Force emerges.
It was on many minds last week when Gen. John Raymond visited as a guest of Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. The contingent visited the base, took a quick trip to the Cavalier Air Force Station, then met with community leaders throughout the day and later at a UND hockey game.
A letter from Grand Forks Mayor Mike Brown, published in today’s Herald, notes that Cramer “demonstrated great vision and leadership” by bringing Raymond to town. He also said “now is the time to be bold.”
President Trump established the U.S. Space Force when he signed the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. Although it’s a new military branch, it technically will be under the auspices of the Department of the Air Force.
Think about it: Grand Forks has an Air Force base recently bolstered by its own redesignation to a reconnaissance wing that oversees all Air Force Global Hawk missions. UND has the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, which includes programs in space studies. Andrew Armacost, the incoming president of UND, is a retired Air Force general.
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Eighty miles north of Grand Forks is the Cavalier Air Force Station, which monitors earth-orbiting objects as part of the nation’s defense shield. Grand Forks has a growing and nationally famous UAS industry, and all of the technology associated with it.
And the new leader of the U.S. Space Force, Raymond, has connections to Grand Forks. He was assigned various duties at Grand Forks Air Force Base from 1985 through 1989. Later this year, he will be a full member of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Trump last month said “space is the world’s newest war-fighting domain. Amid grave threats to our national security, American superiority in space is absolutely vital.”
What role can Grand Forks, UND, the Grand Forks Air Force Base and the Cavalier Air Force Station play in the president’s strategy? Hopefully, a big one, thanks to all the work that’s already been done here, along with the many unique skills that have been honed over time.
Cramer gets it.
“As we seek to bolster American dominance in the realm of space, North Dakota holds great potential for contributing to this effort,” he said in a recent statement prior to Raymond’s arrival in Grand Forks. “I look forward to hosting him and hearing how North Dakota can best contribute to our nation’s space operations.”
For now, Mayor Brown’s advice is best: The community, university and base should continue to leverage partnerships with space studies, big data and all things related to cyber. As the mayor says in his letter, doing so would “set a course for the next 50 years” for this region.
As the U.S. Space Force emerges, it’s a good time for Grand Forks and the Legislature – the entire state – to be bold, brazen and loud about how we think Grand Forks should play some role in the future of Space Force.
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