Ballistic missile system would defend U.S. east coast

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, says he will continue to highlight what he says is the importance of Camp James A. Garfield to the U.S. defense posture and urge the Pentagon to select the base as the east coast missile defense site.

The camp, formally known as James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center and formerly known as Camp Ravenna, is an Ohio Army National Guard military base located between Ravenna and Newton Falls.

“The ballistic missile threat to the United States has grown greatly in recent years, particularly as Iran has expanded its capabilities,” Portman said in a statement on the Department of Defense’s 2019 Missile Defense Review. “Adding a third ground-based interceptor site would serve American interests by protecting the U.S. homeland from this threat and deterring future aggression. Camp Garfield, in particular, provides a cost-efficient and effective location to help defend the United States from ballistic missile threats. Although the new Missile Defense Review does not make a final decision on a third interceptor site, I will continue to make the case to the Defense Department that Camp Garfield is the ideal location.”

President Donald Trump called on Thursday for an expansion of U.S. missile defense efforts, the first increase in nine years.

In March 2018, Portman led an Ohio delegation letter to then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis in support of Camp Ravenna being selected as the east coast missile defense site.