The Case for Relocating Space Command to Alabama—Why Colorado Is No Longer Fit for Duty

It’s time for the Department of Defense to stop playing political games and finally relocate U.S. Space Command to its rightful home: Huntsville, Alabama. The fight to keep it in Colorado Springs has nothing to do with national security, mission effectiveness, or military readiness. It has everything to do with protecting entrenched interests, real estate empires, and a local government that’s more concerned with keeping the gravy train rolling than actually supporting the warfighter.

Let’s break this down plainly. Colorado Springs is overbuilt, overpriced, and overrun. What was once a strategic hub has become a bloated sprawl of unchecked development, overburdened infrastructure, and a cost of living that makes it nearly impossible for junior enlisted families to survive, let alone thrive.

Housing prices in El Paso County have exploded in the last decade, pricing out military families and forcing service members to commute long distances—if they can even find housing at all. Rental markets are saturated, vacancy rates are near zero, and what little housing is available often costs more than a BAH allowance can cover. The city has become a playground for defense contractors and developers, not a livable community for the people wearing the uniform.

This crisis is compounded by a lack of critical infrastructure. Colorado Springs’ water supply is on life support. The city has been warned for years about the unsustainable strain on its aquifers and reservoirs, yet city leadership continues approving new housing developments as if water magically appears out of thin air. The strain on utilities, public services, and emergency infrastructure has reached a tipping point. We’re not talking about a temporary squeeze—we’re talking about a structural failure in planning and governance.

Then there’s the transportation bottleneck. The Colorado Springs Airport is a glorified regional hub, not a national security logistics node. Its limited flight routes and cargo capacity make it a logistical nightmare for rapid deployment or high-volume operations. Compare that to Huntsville’s international airport, which is better connected, better equipped, and far more capable of supporting large-scale military movement and coordination.

And let’s not ignore the fact that Colorado is already oversaturated with military installations. Between Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, NORAD, and the Air Force Academy, the region is stretched to capacity. The strain this places on infrastructure, housing, and community services is unsustainable—and it’s the troops who pay the price.

Meanwhile, the surrounding environment—once a serene setting for military families—has turned into a crowded tourist zone. Good luck trying to find a quiet weekend retreat in the mountains. Places like Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak have been transformed into bumper-to-bumper tourist traps. The noise, traffic, and congestion only add to the daily stress of military life.

Add to all this the extreme cost overruns in everything the city touches when it comes to military partnerships. Projects tied to defense funding balloon in scope and budget with little accountability or oversight. Corruption isn’t just suspected—it’s baked into the system. Politicians and contractors work hand-in-hand to approve sweetheart deals that do nothing to support readiness but do a lot to line pockets.

Huntsville, Alabama, by contrast, offers everything Colorado Springs used to—before the greed and dysfunction took over. A lower cost of living, a strong military legacy, room for growth, and a civic infrastructure that hasn’t been cannibalized by speculative developers and career politicians. It’s home to Redstone Arsenal, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, and a thriving defense ecosystem that actually puts mission first.

The arguments against moving Space Command to Alabama collapse under scrutiny. The data doesn’t lie. The military knows Huntsville is the right call—it scored highest in every legitimate evaluation metric. The only reason the move hasn’t been finalized is because Colorado politicians keep using their clout in Washington to delay the inevitable, hoping to preserve a façade of relevance while their constituents suffer the real consequences of their failed leadership.

National defense isn’t about protecting someone’s zip code. It’s about readiness, efficiency, and long-term sustainability. Colorado has failed to uphold those standards. It’s time to stop delaying and make the move to Huntsville official.

Our warfighters deserve better than political theater and broken systems. They deserve a headquarters that’s built to serve them—not one that’s built on the backs of rigged development deals and outdated thinking.

Space Command belongs in Alabama. Let’s get it done.