Manchin Questions Assistant Secretary of Defense, Commanders on Bringing Special Operations Training to West Virginia

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

April 06, 2022

Washington, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee, questioned Christopher P. Maier, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, General Richard D. Clarke, Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and General Paul M. Nakasone, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command/Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service on bringing special operations training to West Virginia. Senator Manchin also questioned the witnesses on cybersecurity and the interconnected missions of nuclear deterrence and operational capabilities in space.

On Bringing Special Operations Facilities to West Virginia:

Senator Manchin said in part, “I wanted to make sure you’re both aware that in West Virginia, we’re working and making our state more available to SOCOM training operations. We’re only three hours away…Just a hop, skip, and a jump available for SOCOM. We have parts of the state that are in great condition for training opportunities, from subterranean complexes to austere rural and urban environments. There’s surface mine land that is possible for transfer to DOD…for the East Coast based units to train and it’s a significantly reduced cost compared to similar training that you’re going to travel to the West Coast for. It’s right in your backyard. My office has been working representatives from SOCOM as well as the West Virginia National Guard to highlight what we have to offer and I hope to have you out soon to do a site visit…Would you work with me and visit West Virginia to see we have to offer?”

A video of Senator Manchin’s questioning of the witnesses can be found here.