Strong looks to ease arsenal gate issues

Rules prohibiting military installations from using contract personnel for security may be on the way out as Rep. Dale Strong looks to streamline traffic at Redstone Arsenal.

Why it matters: With Space Command on the way, the focus locally is on whether community infrastructure is ready for even more pressure.

Zoom in: Strong announced Wednesday that a provision he added to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 would allow military installations to use contract personnel for security guard functions.

• The language, proposed by Strong on Aug. 28, would give the arsenal flexibility when enlisted soldiers aren't available.

What they're saying: Strong said in an announcement that the arsenal doesn't have a large population of junior enlisted personnel to man gate security positions for the nearly 50,000 people who come to the arsenal every day.

Catch up quick: Recent workforce reductions have forced the arsenal to limit hours at Gate 3 this month, closing it at 1pm.

• At a roundtable following the Space Command announcement, Martin Traylor, deputy garrison commander for the arsenal, noted that "gridlock at the gates causes traffic to back up" into neighboring cities' roadways.
• He pointed out the "statutory limitations on us. We can't use contractors. We can't use civilians."

• "We took the soldiers that we did have, which in our case are ... very senior officers," he said at the event. "You typically would not see them on a gate, and we're able to put them on there for just a couple of hours in the morning."

Yes, but: Officials contend this issue does not affect Redstone's readiness for Space Command.

What we're watching: The bill must still pass the Senate, conference negotiations, and be signed by President Trump.

Go deeper: Redstone "ready to move dirt" for Space Command HQ