U.S.-Africa Ops Being Lured to Woodbridge

Woodbridge, Va. – After Virginia’s loss of one large military neighbor, the Potomac Communities may soon be home to another.

Woodbridge District Supervisor candidate Chris Royse announced Friday he’s been working with AFRICOM, the U.S. military’s joint command for all things Africa, urging them to relocate from Germany to Woodbridge.

“Many people look at Africa as a place, but it’s multiple nations, multiple diverse cultures, and it’s becoming more and more strategically important to the United States in terms of its location and different threats that have evolved there, and natural resources,” said Royse.

The announcement comes one day after U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) closed down its operation in Suffolk, leaving many business leaders in that city reeling the wake of lost government contracts and other services workers at the command brought to the city since 1999.

While he’s not clear on how many jobs a new AFRICOM headquarters would bring to the area, or when a decision could be made to relocate, Royse said access to two Virginia Railway Express stations with connections to Metro makes eastern Prince William an east choice.

“There could be opportunity for a headquarters in Woodbridge, rapid access to pentagon by a sustainable option, is exactly where the [Department of Defense] is wanting to move, this is what they’re looking for in BRAC. It’s ‘how do we reduce commuter time, become more green, and have more reliable transportation between where our commanders need to be to keep the security of the United States moving forward,” said Royse.

The Republican said he waited until JCOM closed down operations before making the announcement, and adds he plans to make bringing AFRICOM to Woodbridge a campaign issue. He faces democratic incumbent Frank Principi in the general election Nov. 8.