Space Command should prompt real introspection in NM

Considering the immense long-term impact of the decision not to locate the headquarters for U.S. Space Command in Albuquerque, it is time not for sour grapes but for a hard second look and introspection by local, state and federal officials.

Less than a week after military officials toured Kirtland Air Force Base on Jan. 7, the Air Force announced Jan. 13 that Huntsville, Alabama, had been chosen over Albuquerque and four other finalist cities. The Air Force said Huntsville compared more favorably against the other finalist cities in Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, Florida and New Mexico in providing a large qualified workforce, superior infrastructure capacity, low initial recurring costs and high-quality schools.

The possibility of locating Space Command here offered real hope for the future of Albuquerque. Beyond the 1,000 civilian and 1,400 military jobs, potential billions of dollars of economic activity for the region and untold private-sector contracts, the command offered an opportunity to tie together many of New Mexico’s unique technological assets. We have a history and synergy of military bases, national labs, research universities, private aerospace enterprises and a one-of-akind spaceport.

But while we unquestionably have a lot in the positives column, recurring issues including crime, a struggling Downtown and the routine ranking of New Mexico’s schools at the bottom of state lists was no doubt a deterrent to lift-off. All were criteria in the Space Command selection, and on all those, Albuquerque has weaknesses that must be addressed.

Consider that Huntsville City Schools, where many parents connected to Space Command would send their children, has a graduation rate of 88%, according to the school district’s website. The graduation rate at Albuquerque Public Schools, including charter schools, was 70.1% for the class of 2019. Huntsville High School, with a 35% minority enrollment, has a graduation rate of 90%, with 69% of students participating in Advanced Placement coursework and exams. That’s pretty impressive.

Yet several lawmakers say the Air Force appeared to be playing politics when it chose Redstone Arsenal. “I don’t think it was a logical place to choose for the Space Command,” U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich told the Journal. Heinrich, other members of the state’s congressional delegation, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Mayor Tim Keller say they plan to ask the Biden administration to reevaluate the decision. Elected leaders in other states that lost out are also calling for a review.

Giving the decision another look seems reasonable considering the long-term impact of locating the unified combatant command that will oversee military space operations for decades to come. And it can and should be done without impugning the Air Force.

Albuquerque can take pride the Duke City was one of six finalists among the 50 locations in 26 states that submitted bids, but our loss should have our officials looking at us as others see us, not as we wish to be seen, and to stop making excuses for why nobody appreciates our “unique culture.”

The decision to go with Huntsville was a disappointment, but we must learn from it. Space Command won’t be the last project for which the Duke City submits a bid. A “full and detailed accounting” of how the Air Force reached its decision, as requested by Sen. Ben Ray Luján, should help. It’s important to learn where we had shortcomings, and to make real, tangible improvements rather than excuses. And those improvements need to include improving K-12 student outcomes, lowering crime and resuscitating Downtown.