The first operational facility of the U.S. Space Command on Redstone Arsenal is open for business.

Personnel with the command’s J2 Intelligence Directorate relocated Wednesday to Redstone Arsenal and are among the first Space Command personnel to make the permanent move. The occasion marked the first of an estimated 200 personnel who will relocate from Colorado Springs to Huntsville this year.

The Redstone Transition Team, led by Ardmore native and Guardsman Maj. Gen. Terry L. Grisham, was established at Redstone Arsenal at the end of 2025 to design and prepare facilities for U.S. Space Command. The team helped ensure the move is conducted as expeditiously as possible without compromising mission-critical operations.

Members of the J2 team represent the first group of movers from the command who will work from Huntsville in direct support of Space Command’s operational mission.

“When the president announced the command’s move on Sept. 2, 2025, a small team of personnel from USSPACECOM was on the ground in Huntsville within 24 hours,” said Gen. Stephen Whiting, Commander of Space Command. “While their presence was transitory, it signaled our intent to establish a presence on Redstone Arsenal, which we did at the end of 2025 with the establishment of the Redstone Transition Team.

“Today’s arrival of members from our J2 directorate signifies that we are now starting to execute real-world command responsibilities and missions from Redstone.”

In January, Whiting announced Grisham would lead the relocation from the Tennessee Valley and appointed him to oversee the Redstone Transition Team.

“We’ve had a foothold here at Redstone since the day after the president’s announcement in September, but make no mistake: the arrival of the Intelligence Directorate marks the first wave of our deliberate and permanent relocation from Colorado Springs,” said Grisham. “This isn’t just a move; it’s a clear demonstration of this command’s unwavering commitment to executing the President’s directive with the speed and decisiveness our mission demands.”

The Joint Intelligence Support Element, the office represented by this first group of transitioning personnel, directly supports the command’s operational mission through intelligence analysis.

“We are excited to establish USSPACECOM’s JISE at Redstone Arsenal,” said Brig. Gen. Nathan Rusin, director of the J2 Intelligence Directorate. “The JISE will serve as a catalyst for the transition of USSPACECOM headquarters as we begin the relocation of vital intelligence and security missions to the garrison.

“We thank all those involved, across the nation, who enabled USSPACECOM to expedite our move to Alabama and the Tennessee Valley.”

The plan to move Space Command from Colorado Springs to Huntsville had become a political tug-of-war between the first Trump administration, when it was first announced, and the Biden administration, when it was canceled.

The final decision by President Trump last September follows a thorough, twice-reviewed site selection process that confirmed Huntsville’s ability to support the mission’s long-term objectives and national security priorities.

About 1,400 Space Command jobs will transition to Redstone Arsenal over the next five years. State and local partners have reaffirmed their original commitments made during the original 2020 site selection process.

“This decision is not about what’s best for Huntsville – it’s about being mission-focused,” said Mayor Tommy Battle. “The decision to locate U.S. Space Command at Redstone ensures our nation is prepared to meet growing challenges in space.

“Huntsville is ready with our experienced workforce, resilient infrastructure and deep commitment to national defense.”