CHARLESTON, W.Va. –The United States Coast Guard announcing Wednesday a new Special Mission’s Command that is going to be located at the Coast Guard C5I Service Center in Kearneysville.
According to a release from Governor Patrick Morrisey, the SMC, will be used to unify the Coast Guard’s deployable specialized forces under a single operations commander. This aims to improve readiness, coordination, interoperability, and response capabilities for emerging national and global threats.
Morrisey called the announcement a major victory.
“This is a tremendous win for West Virginia and a powerful vote of confidence in our state, our workforce, and our strategic importance to the nation,” Morrisey said. “The men and women serving these elite units operate at the highest levels of readiness and professionalism, and we are honored that West Virginia will serve as the home for this critical mission.”
The Coast Guard said they will oversee several specialized operational units responsible for:
-maritime counterterrorism
-counter-trafficking operations
-port and coastal security
-expeditionary operations
-underwater response capabilities
-emergency response to hazardous incidents and national disasters
Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Kevin Lunday said this is a crucial step for the evolution of their service under Force Design 2028.
“We are forging our most elite operators into a single, razor-sharp instrument of national power. The Special Missions Command is not an administrative change; it is an investment ensuring these elite teams are the best trained, equipped, and organized force possible, ready to protect the Homeland and support the Joint Force,” Lunday said.
U.S. Congresswoman Carol Miller applauded the announcement.
“I am thrilled that the United State Coast Guard has chosen West Virginia as the home of its new Special Missions Command Center. Establishing this center in our state will allow for high-level, specialized training to be conducted in a single centralized facility, ensuring seamless coordination and readiness among these elite forces,” Miller said. “This investment will significantly enhance the Coast Guard’s ability to prepare its personnel to respond to complex threats and critical missions, strengthening our nation’s homeland security while bringing highly skilled jobs and federal resources to West Virginia.”
U.S. Congressman Riley Moore also applauded this investment.
“The Coast Guard’s decision to establish the Special Missions Command is a major step forward in strengthening our nation’s maritime security and ensuring we are prepared to meet evolving threats across the globe. I’m especially proud that West Virginia will play a central role in this mission,” Moore said in a statement. “The hardworking men and women at the Kearneysville facility are critical to supporting our national defense, and this investment further solidifies the Eastern Panhandle as a key hub for cutting-edge operations that protect the American people.”
The center is expected to be commissioned on or around Oct. 2, 2026