Ohio lawmakers want Camp Ravenna for East Coast Missile Defense System

Staff report

COLUMBUS

State Sen. Sean J. O’Brien of Bazetta, D-32nd, said the Ohio House of Representatives has unanimously adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 8, which urges the U.S. Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency to select Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center as the preferred site for a future East Coast Missile Defense System.

“Camp Ravenna, which straddles both mine and Sen. John Eklund’s district, is currently being considered for a future East Coast Missile Defense site, along with sites in Michigan and New York,” said O’Brien. “However, unlike Ohio, Michigan and New York have now hired lobbying firms in Washington to advocate for their states to be chosen as the site. It is for this reason that passage of this concurrent resolution was so urgent.”

O’Brien had introduced SCR 8 in the Ohio Senate together with Eklund, a Republican from Munson Township. It was unanimously adopted by the Ohio Senate last June.

The MDA is currently considering sites for the potential future installation of additional ground-based interceptors for homeland defense. While similar missile defense sites already exist along the West Coast, no such sites currently exist in the East.

The selection of Camp Ravenna would provide a multimillion dollar investment in Ohio and would create hundreds of high-paying, high-education jobs. Additionally, Camp Ravenna’s selection would increase its value to the U.S. military, greatly decreasing its chances of closure by the federal Base Closure and Realignment Commission.

Representatives of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, who worked closely with O’Brien on SCR 8, also were pleased by its passage.

“The Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission, along with the Youngstown/Warren Chamber and all of those involved with the pursuit and acquisition of the East Coast Missile Defense site are very pleased with the passing of SCR 8 on the Statehouse floor today,” said Vito Abruzzino, director of the Regional Chamber’s Military Affairs Commission.

“The local communities surrounding Camp Ravenna praise the legislature and the resolution’s sponsor for their quick and decisive support via this resolution,” he said.