By Rick Steelhammer, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Last week, when not busy torpedoing selected items on the Democratic agenda, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin took time to introduce legislation that would create a national guard component for the U.S. Space Force, the military branch created during the Trump administration.
“West Virginia has a rich history of contributing to achievements in space,” Manchin said in introducing the legislation, citing the achievements of NASA mathematician and “Hidden Figures” inspiration Katherine Johnson and NASA engineer and “Rocket Boys” author Homer Hickam.
Creation of a Space National Guard, Manchin said, “would ensure that National Guard personnel in West Virginia and across the country can continue their service in a reserve component that represents their specialized space-based missions.”
To enhance prospects for a Space National Guard presence in West Virginia, our congressional delegation is likely to begin talking up the state’s suitability as a site for fulfilling Space Force missions…