TEXARKANA MAGAZINE
Congressman Nathaniel Moran joined regional leaders, industry partners, and community stakeholders during a recent visit highlighting innovation, economic development, and emerging energy opportunities in the Texarkana, USA region.
Congressman Nathaniel Moran summarized the strategic significance clearly, stating, “East Texas and the ArkTex region are ground zero for America’s lithium future and a critical piece of rebuilding our nation’s industrial and national security independence.” Education and workforce development have become critical pieces of the broader strategy as well. Regional institutions, including Texarkana College and Texas A&M University–Texarkana, are partnering with industry leaders to create workforce pipelines focused on advanced manufacturing, drone technology, robotics, and industrial maintenance. Dr. Jason Smith, president of Texarkana College, emphasized the importance of those partnerships. “Texarkana College is proud to be part of a partnership that is creating direct pathways for students into high-skill, high-demand careers while helping meet critical workforce needs in our region. The Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant through the State of Texas, with the support of the governor and the Texas Military Preparedness Commission has made a grant possible that helps connect students to hands-on training in advanced manufacturing and drone technology while building a workforce pipeline that supports Red River Army Depot and the broader Texarkana community.” Support for Red River Army Depot has also intensified at the state and local levels. Fred Milton, retired Deputy Commander/CEA Defense Distribution and current member of Governor Abbott’s Committee to Support the Military, praised the renewed momentum surrounding the installation and warned that threats to military workload remain very real. “Our vigilance must be keen, our resolve endless, and our generation of unique ideas and attainable solutions
forthcoming if we are to win,” Milton said while emphasizing the importance of sustaining the military complex that pumps billions of dollars annually into the regional economy. That momentum reached another milestone on May 7, 2026, when Senator Ted Cruz visited Red River Army Depot and EnergyX to highlight the growing national significance of defense modernization and domestic lithium production in the Texarkana region. Discussions focused on the Depot’s evolving role in advanced manufacturing and drone technology, the strategic importance of the Smackover Formation, and opportunities to strengthen America’s domestic battery and critical mineral supply chain. Today, Red River Army Depot stands at the intersection of several major national priorities: defense industrial base modernization, advanced manufacturing, drone technology, robotics, workforce development, lithium extraction, and industrial resilience. These are no longer separate conversations. They are deeply interconnected. What began in 1939 as a modest effort by local leaders hoping to create 100 jobs has evolved into one of America’s most strategically important military industrial base assets, employing more than 3,200 people. More importantly, the story is still being written. Red River Army Depot is no longer simply an Army organic industrial base sustainer. It is actively positioning the region for the future of defense manufacturing and industrial readiness, while ensuring our nation is postured to meet the challenges of the future.
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BUSINESS & POLITICS
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