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Space, military commands merger official Wednesday, October 2, 2002 Posted: 12:18 PM EDT (1618 GMT) OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska (AP) -- U.S. Space Command and the U.S. Strategic Command officially merged this week at a ceremony at Offutt Air Force Base just south of Omaha, Nebraska. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Richard Meyers spoke at the ceremony. Meyers said responsibility for the command will include computer warfare and missile defense. He says the mission's future is limited in the U.S. military only by its imagination. StratCom Commander Admiral James Ellis Junior is nominated to take over as commander of the unified mission. His nomination cleared the Senate Arms Committee and only awaits approval by the full Senate. That could happen this week. Ellis says the new organization has to think outside the box and find creative ways to protect the United States from its enemies. |