Ohio House passes measure urging selection of Camp Ravenna as Missile Defense System

State Reps. John Boccieri (D-Poland), Mike O’Brien (D-Warren), Glenn W. Holmes (D-Girard) and Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) today applauded the Ohio House for unanimously passing Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 8, which calls on the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (USMDA) to select Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center as the preferred site for a future east coast Missile Defense system. MDA, a sub-agency of the Department of Defense (DOD), announced its consideration of Camp Ravenna among two other locations for a potential future deployment of additional ground-based interceptors for homeland defense.

“Camp Ravenna is uniquely positioned to be a strong site for selection because of its geographical location and surrounding military, technological and transportation assets,” said Boccieri. “Not only would our area benefit from the economic impact, but the impacts to our regional security cannot be delayed with a growing missile threat from North Korea.”

Among heightening homeland security tensions, MDA has decided to add another ground-based interceptor site to complement the existing one serving the west coast. Ravenna is a secure base with no conflicting missions, and its partnerships with the Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS) and Cleveland’s NASA Glenn Center make it an appealing choice for USMDA. In addition, studies have shown that relocating to Ravenna would not cause any adverse environmental or other impacts.

“Today’s decision by the Ohio House of Representatives sends a strong message that Northeast Ohio has an important role to play in providing for our national security,” said Holmes. “I am grateful for the years of hard work put in by our community leaders to promote Ohio’s qualities as a strategic asset.”

“This is another example of how Northeast Ohio has the ability to attract projects of national importance,” said Lepore-Hagan. “The MDA choosing Camp Ravenna as a finalist for an east coast defense site shows that our region has the world-class amenities to support this important mission.”

The selection of Camp Ravenna for the east coast Missile Defense system would also shield the base from further consideration for closure, as the U.S. military’s Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) has been looking for ways to streamline its operations and optimize efficiency and cost effectiveness.

The other locations under consideration for the site are Fort Custer Training Center in Michigan and Fort Drum in New York.

SCR 9 now heads to the Governor’s desk for his expected signature.