Re-building the arsenal: From cars and trucks to tanks and TACOM

One important mission for me this week is to gain a better understanding of what the defense industry can mean to Michigan’s future.

What further potential does the military have for our state in the coming years? What structural and mindset changes do we need to make in order to turn opportunities that defense work offers into a larger reality? How do we become more welcoming to this world?

There is incredible potential for greater Detroit based on our unique capabilities. No area of the world has the depth and breath of capabilities to design, engineer, manufacture, deploy, distribute, maintain, and improve cars and trucks like Detroit.

Hard to believe? Ask Toyota-North America, Nissan-North America, or Hyundai, each of whom have built sizeable, state-of-the-art design centers in our state tap into our knowledge base.

The Department of Defense understands our capabilities. As a result, we are playing a larger and larger role for the DoD in 2010.

Citing the size and scope of development centers for companies including General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, General Dynamics Land Systems, and others, the DoD stated, “The synergies gained from having a critical mass located in southeastern Michigan, and being able to leverage the world’s intellectual capital for automotive/ground vehicle research and development & acquisition, will ensure the Department is prepared to meet the future demands.”

A quick look at web reports gives you an idea of the synergy between our workforce and the country’s defense needs, starting with TACOM.

The Army's Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), located in Warren, Michigan is responsible for managing the Army's fleet of ground combat and tactical vehicles; developing future ground vehicles and their weapons systems; and sustaining those vehicles to preserve our combat readiness.

A multi-billion dollar corporation, TACOM manages over 75 percent of the most critical weapon systems in the Army. The Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) at TACOM is designing and developing future vehicles and their technology.

In 2005 the Department of Defense (DoD), named the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan the Joint Center of Excellence for Ground Vehicle Development and Acquisition.

Creating a Joint DoD Center of Excellence for the Development and Acquisition of the Manned and Unmanned Ground Vehicles in southeast Michigan confirmed what people in Michigan have always known - there are great benefits from clustering and the co-location of engineers and acquisition experts and Michigan’s automotive research and development community is the best in the world.

Across the state, other important operations include the Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS) and the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) in Battle Creek, the Michigan Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, Selfridge Air National Guard Base: Selfridge Air National Guard Base, the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, the W. K. Kellogg Air Guard Station

We could see more growth in the coming years. This could all play an important role in transforming our state's economy.

But, are we ready, as a region, to extend these relationships? As citizens, voters, and leaders, do we understand this world? My gut says we have a lot to learn. Lessons start tomorrow at 5am, breakfast is at 6am.