South Carolina lawmakers push for Beaufort Coast Guard training base

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WTOC) - U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and U.S. Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC) have sent a letter urging DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to choose Beaufort as the location for the U.S. Coast Guard’s newest training base.

Beaufort is on a shortlist of several locations across the country after the Coast Guard issued a request for information regarding potential sites for its new facility.

In their letter, Scott and Wilson argued that Beaufort has proven itself as a mission-ready military community through its Marine Corps stations, with infrastructure capable of supporting Coast Guard families.

“The city’s location places it between two of the nation’s most strategically important ports, Charleston and Savannah,” they wrote. “Located less than two hours away, Charleston will soon host the Coast Guard’s largest homeport, while the Port of Savannah consistently leads the East Coast in container volume.”

The lawmakers said Beaufort is “uniquely positioned and prepared to leverage the existing infrastructure and regional connectivity to support the Coast Guard’s mission.”

The initiative has support from Beaufort County Council and the city councils of Beaufort, Bluffton, Port Royal and Hilton Head.

The full letter can be read below: