Assistant Secretary Says There's 'Exceptional Interest' in the Next Great American Base

Competition to host the Next Great American Base - a premier joint force installation project - has been met with "exceptional" nationwide interest.

That's what Dale Marks, assistant secretary of war for energy, installations and environment, told governors and state adjutants general in a letter Oct. 22, adding that responses from states and communities "reflect a shared commitment to supporting our service members, strengthening national defense, and competing to deliver the capabilities required for rapid global power projection."

A guideline of 100,000 to 250,000 acres was proposed when Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the competition last month. The topline figure represents a footprint four times the size of the original District of Columbia.

The land footprint wasn't meant to preclude offers involving acreage outside that range, Marks wrote, though the site must have sufficient land and infrastructure to support the proposed base's missions.

"Suitability to mission remains paramount," he said.

Hegseth said the base would counter compounding multidomain threats and provide a posture for rapid global power projection. He said such an installation could house as many as 25,000 service members.

"This is not going to be a soulless government installation," Hegseth said. "We will plan out and chart out a dynamic self-sustaining power projection platform."

Governors will represent top-scoring candidate sites when they "pitch" their proposals to War Department officials next spring.

A fact sheet accompanying Marks' letter said smaller tracts of land would be considered if the offer is "otherwise compelling," and communities proposing smaller acreage would be "fully considered." All locations in the United States may be considered, including former military installations and land that borders existing installations.

"All nominations will be evaluated competitively under the broader screening and evaluation process," Marks said.