The theme, “Redstone Around the World,” allowed Arsenal leaders to shed light on what happens behind the installation’s gates at the annual Redstone Update, Nov. 29 at the Von Braun Center.
Speaking to a crowd of nearly 850 community and business leaders hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber, Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, Army Materiel Command deputy commanding general and Redstone Arsenal senior commander, highlighted the installation’s global influence and its pivotal role around the world.
“Today has allowed us to highlight the global impact this installation has and our unique position of strategic importance to not only the nation, but the world,” he said. “I’ve never seen a more complicated and dangerous time for our nation, and in many cases, the workforce on Redston
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e is leading the way in the U.S. response.”
In his role as the deputy of AMC, Mohan is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Army’s logistics enterprise. To date, the command has shipped more than $13.4 billion in equipment and supplies to support Ukraine, including over 25,000 major end items and 182 million rounds of ammunition.
A key piece of this effort to support U.S. partners and allies is Redstone’s Security Assistance Command, which had a record-breaking fiscal year 2023, transferring $35.8 billion in new foreign military sales – providing critical defensive capabilities for allies and partners across the globe.
“You just have to watch the news to see the impact your Arsenal is having,” Mohan said. “Every day your installation makes global contributions that support our nation’s top priorities, and the local and global impact is truly staggering.”
Mohan also highlighted one of Redstone’s newest tenants – Army Futures Command’s Contested Logistics Cross Functional Team – and the impact they will have in the Indo-Pacific region.
“The size and scope of the region will require a multi-model, multi-service and joint approach,” Mohan said. “The CFT is driving how we are going to address the needs of sustained forces and equipment on future battlefields including those dispersed both geographically and in multiple domains.”
Mohan told the attendees about the strategic importance of Redstone’s other newest tenant, the Space Development Agency, and how in a few years, SDA-South will operate the DOD’s largest satellite constellation system out of their Arsenal location.
“These are local folks with a global impact,” he said. “The future of Redstone is very bright, but so is the impact your Arsenal is having today.”
Redstone’s impact goes beyond federal operations, Mohan noted. The installation has an annual economic impact of $30.8 billion, accounting for 58% of the gross regional product for the Tennessee Valley and employs over 90,000 in the region.
The Arsenal will continue to see growth by the end of the year, as the FBI anticipates welcoming 2,000 employees onsite at its Redstone campus. The organization is also in the process of setting up its advanced training schools on the installation which will bring nearly 4,000 people a year to the Tennessee Valley for training.
With this growth comes the need for community support, Mohan said. He discussed the efforts he and other Redstone leaders have made this year to address challenges such as access to health care, increasing educational partnerships, ensuring access to per diem hotel rooms and rental cars, and roads projects to address growing traffic.
“We can’t do what we do without your continued support,” Mohan said. “We are grateful to live in a community that is truly a shining beacon for what right looks like to have the military integrated with the local community.”
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