U.S. Rep. Rick Allen on Thursday made it known exactly how he feels about the progress being made by the Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon, calling it “the most important thing” happening in the 12th District.
“It’s critical. This is absolutely an essential mission,” Allen said to reporters. “The information flow in and out of this place basically covers the entire world and directs how we go about dealing with our adversaries and it’s absolutely critical to the success of our military.”
Allen visited Ft. Gordon Thursday morning and spoke to the media about how important its role in the cybersecurity field is not just for Georgia, but for the United States as a whole. He also met with local community leaders to discuss ways to improve the education pipeline to make sure workforce needs can be met going forward. One idea – charter cyber school in Richmond County, building on some of the programs that have recently been implemented.
The congressman said he expects more than 4,000 white collar workers to move into the area in the next few years for jobs at the Cyber Center, contributing to the partnership between the fort and the greater Augusta community.
Render of the planned Cyber Center of Excellence campus
Said Allen, “Overall, I’m very pleased with where we are based on my fourth term in Congress versus my first term in Congress.”
U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff also visited Ft. Gordon in recent months, with both senators pledging to ensure that the facility receive the funding it requires to move forward in its mission. A big chunk of that funding is the $1.6 billion construction project that will turn the Cyber Center of Excellence campus into a world class facility, an investment that marks the single largest military construction program in the continental United States. Four new buildings are planned to be built, seven remodeled, and 12 demolished entirely in a massive overhaul that is expected to be finished by 2027.
“What I saw today was a team of women and men committed to serving, committed to defending our country, who are providing an extraordinary service to our country, through their service in the armed forces,” Ossoff said of his visit.
