U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers said his position as Armed Services chair will be a help to the U.S. military.
Rogers (R-Saks) spoke to Yellowhammer News on Wednesday, to discuss his new position and the state of Alabama’s role in the nation’s national defense.
Rogers discussed the significance of his new position.
“We stay free and safe because we have got a wonderful military that makes enormous sacrifices for us,” he said. “To know that I’m going to be in a position to help those great Americans do their jobs and have better pay and benefits and housing and equipment is pretty great.”
He also spoke about how Alabama has positioned itself currently in terms of contributions to securing the country and its national defense.
“We are well positioned,” Rogers said. “We are a big contributor. Most people haven’t known until just recent years what a big player we are when it comes to missile defense and space.”
The congressman also talked about the relevance of the Yellowhammer State nationally in terms of space and defense.
“Getting the Space Command headquartered in Huntsville kind of brought attention to that,” he said. “There are only like five states that are real players when it comes to space capabilities, especially national security space.”
When asked about Alabama’s future contributions to the national defense industry, Rogers believed the state will be a major player for multiple reasons.
“Since we have created the Space Force, I expect Alabama’s going to be playing an even bigger role,” he said.
The congressmen expressed hope in the state’s collegiate institutions in producing individuals who he believes will play a significant role in the future of defense in Alabama.
“ I also see us getting more involved in cyber security capabilities,” he said. “We’ve got some great engineering schools in north Alabama and, of course, at the University of Alabama, Auburn , and Tuskegee.
“All of those institutions become part of a larger program to train personnel on active duty, the Guard and Reserves in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.”
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.
