Joint Base Charleston proposed as new AFRICOM HQ

Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott (R-SC) on Monday wrote to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper offering Joint Base Charleston (JBC) as the new United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) Headquarters, should a “suitable location” not be found in Africa.

Currently, AFRICOM HQ is stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, however the Department of Defense (DoD) is working on a relocation.

The SC Senators argued the merits of JBC based on three major factors: existing infrastructure, geostrategic location, and fiscal viability.

Graham and Scott acknowledged that “AFRICOM will require access to an established infrastructure network.” JBC has the necessary infrastructure, and will not need significant investment to meet AFRICOM’s needs.

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Finally, relocating AFRICOM HQ to JBC would reduce costs on multiple fronts: the existing infrastructure provides “cost saving opportunities,” as well as a “lower cost of living” for personnel and their dependents.

These factors led Graham and Scott to “believe that the benefits to the mission and the national security of the United States by positioning AFRICOM at a secure and established instillation, such as JBC, are substantial.”