Congressman Mills Joins Efforts in Urging U.S. Army to Keep Florida as Home of Army Acquisition HQ

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Cory Mills (FL-07), Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-26), and Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28), along with a bipartisan group of Florida lawmakers, sent a letter to senior Army leadership urging the U.S. Army to maintain Central Florida as an acquisition headquarters as it considers restructuring its program offices, including the Program Executive Office Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI). For more than 50 years, PEO STRI has been headquartered in Orlando, generating a $11.6 billion economic impact and supporting over 30,000 high-wage jobs in the region. The office has been instrumental in establishing Central Florida as a global leader in modeling, simulation, and training, driving innovation through partnerships with the private sector, academic institutions, and defense research entities. “Central Florida plays a critical role in advancing America’s defense innovation,” said Congressman Cory Mills (FL-07). “Our modeling and simulation ecosystem is second to none, and any move to divest from this area would weaken our national security and disrupt decades of proven success.” While Members of Congress expressed their support for the Army’s efforts to enhance efficiency through the Army Transformation Initiative, they cautioned against any restructuring that could undermine Central Florida’s established defense ecosystem. The lawmakers emphasized that any potential divestment from the region would significantly hamper the Army’s ability to develop, test, and sustain the next generation of technologies that make it the world’s most effective fighting force. Florida’s modeling and simulation sector represents a unique convergence of public and private innovation, with defense contractors, universities, and small businesses all contributing to advancements that directly benefit the U.S. military. The lawmakers reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring these capabilities remain anchored in Central Florida.