I'm running for Congress. Here's how Nebraska can lead the way on national security.

After more than 30 years in uniform, on the frontlines of healthcare, national defense, and federal policymaking, I’ve seen how national security is often defined too narrowly.

We tend to think of it as something that happens “over there,” in far-off battlefields or classified briefings in Washington. But the truth is, security starts here at home.

Too often, the Midwest is treated as an afterthought in that conversation, and that’s a risk we can’t afford. If we’re serious about protecting this country, then we can’t overlook the places that grow our food, move our freight, train our troops, and build our future.

Places like Omaha.

That’s why I’m advancing the idea of a Midwest National Security Consortium. This isn’t a think tank. It is a working model that connects what Nebraska is already doing to strengthen national defense and helps turn it into a unified, scalable framework — one that deserves coordination, investment, and recognition.

With the right support, the Consortium could attract $500 million to $1 billion in federal preparedness and defense funding over the next decade.

It would create 2,000 to 4,000 high-wage jobs across cybersecurity, logistics, diagnostics, and advanced manufacturing, with average salaries between $70,000 and $110,000. The broader economic impact could exceed $2.5 to $5 billion.

These figures reflect what other university-affiliated defense ecosystems are already delivering.

And Nebraska already has the foundation in place.

The University of Nebraska system is leading the way. UNMC’s Global Center for Health Security is a national model in biocontainment and disease response.

The National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI), a Department of Defense-affiliated research center, has brought nearly $300 million in mission-ready work to U.S. Strategic Command. At UNO, the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE) is helping agencies anticipate and prevent future threats.

These institutions are getting results.

What they need now is sustained investment and a framework to connect their work at scale.

Omaha is also making major infrastructure moves.

The $1 billion expansion of Eppley Airfield is more than a travel upgrade; it enhances regional mobility and readiness. In any national emergency, from natural disaster to public health threat, airfields like Eppley are lifelines.

And we can’t talk about infrastructure without recognizing Union Pacific. Headquartered in Omaha, it keeps agricultural, energy, and commercial supply chains moving across the country every day.

Like many transportation networks, it faces rising cybersecurity threats. Supporting companies like Union Pacific through public-private resilience investments isn’t just good policy; it is national defense.

Just south of the city, Offutt Air Force Base houses U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees the nation’s nuclear deterrent and global strike capability. That mission depends not only on advanced systems but also on resilient infrastructure, healthcare support, and a reliable regional workforce.

We also cannot ignore the role of agricultural security in national defense. The Midwest produces nearly 90% of the nation’s corn, 80% of its soybeans, and a significant share of U.S. pork and beef production. That scale makes it not just America’s breadbasket; it makes it a strategic national asset. And like other critical systems, agriculture is vulnerable to extreme weather, drought, biological threats, and cyber disruption.

A secure future demands investment in early-warning systems, radar infrastructure, and data tools to protect both crops and the communities that grow them. Food security is national security, and it must be treated that way.

We’re already proving that this model works. The Midwest Microelectronics Consortium, a Department of Defense–designated regional hub, includes Nebraska partners and leverages resources at Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln. It’s already bringing federal funding and innovation jobs into the state. The infrastructure and talent are here. Now we need coordination to take it to the next level.

At a time when the Department of Defense is stepping back from traditional think tank partnerships and reassessing where it builds capability, regional investment matters more than ever. We need trusted thought leaders who understand the full spectrum, from local capacity to national policy, and who can bring those strengths together when it matters most. Nebraska has shown it is ready to lead.

This is not about starting from scratch. It is about connecting what already exists—public and private institutions, applied research, health security, cyber, logistics, and more—and building a national model rooted in the Midwest.

I’ve served in combat and Washington. I’ve sat at decision tables where the stakes were real. The strength of this country depends on our willingness to challenge the status quo with bold, innovative ideas and with partners ready to bring the Midwest National Security Consortium to life in Nebraska.

I’m running for Congress to be the leader Nebraskans can count on to deliver real results — by building partnerships, advancing legislation, and securing the funding needed to bring these bold ideas to the center of our national security. Let’s build our nation’s security from the heartland, outward.

Kishla Askins is a retired Naval officer, health care provider, and policymaker. She's seeking the Democratic nomination for Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

https://omaha.com/opinion/column/article_03db74ed-dc44-465f-a8fb-d355dbc76a55.html