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# # #
The EDC DSI is recognized by the State of Florida as the official representative and the lead agency in the tri-county
area for
base/community initiatives. Originated 1991,
the DSI has led the county’s efforts to ensure
our military
installations remain strong and viable contributors to the
national defense and the economies of Okaloosa and surrounding
counties.
Mission
Statement
To
support and
maintain the local military installations and their positive
economic contributions to the tri-county area while
maintaining and nurturing the relationships with the civilian
communities that house them.
Vision
Statement
To ensure the
survival and accommodate the growth of all military
organizations and commands which reside on the Eglin AFB
Complex in order for it to develop into and remain a joint
warfighter complex and a high technology center of excellence
for air armament, munitions, RDT&E, OT&E, special operations,
joint readiness and training, and initial acquisition.
The
economic viability of the region depends on the military.
While other economic sectors may experience temporary
downturns, the region’s military installations continue to be
the prime generators of the economy supporting active
military, civil service, military dependents, and retired
and/or separated military personnel.
Okaloosa County,
along with
its neighboring Santa Rosa and Walton Counties, is
home to the largest Air Force Base in
the world - Eglin Air Force Base. The
land reservation provided by Eglin AFB encompasses three military installations; Eglin AFB, Hurlburt
Field, and Duke Field, collectively know as the Eglin Complex.

March 2009
|
Eglin AFB – Duke – Hurlburt – Whiting Fields
Defense Spending ($M) |
|
Procurement |
$1,153.2 |
|
Salaries |
674.8 |
|
Pensions & Transfers |
800.6 |
|
Total Defense Spending |
$2,628.6 |
|
Average Earnings |
$90,550.00 |
|
Source: UWF Haas Center 2008 |
The presence of the multi-service
military units at Eglin results in a greater density of technology-based
and defense-contracting firms creating industry clusters.
These military installations provide a direct economic impact
and an indirect impact with a ripple effect of military
spending.
The defense-related spending in Okaloosa
County generates additional employment, wages, consumption
spending, and investments throughout the county and continues
to produce more spending as it circulates throughout the
region's economy. The military installations in the
county further generate employment by contracting with local
businesses and national businesses that have facilities in the
area.
Seven of the ten largest defense
contractors in the State of Florida
have a presence in Okaloosa County.
An industry cluster of these targeted
businesses catering to the local military installations has
developed over the years. These businesses, of which
there are approximately 350 in Okaloosa, work with local
suppliers to obtain the goods and services necessary to meet
the needs of the military; creating jobs and sustaining the
economy.
DSI Committee Chairman:
EDC Member Jim Heald
Manager,
InDyne,
Inc.
DSI Membership
is
by EDC Presidential Appointment and Board Approval
- Okaloosa EDC Representatives
- Okaloosa County Commissioner
- Okaloosa County Military Affairs
Council Representatives
- Community Business Leaders
- Eglin AFB Representative
- Retired Military Personnel
- Santa Rosa County Representatives
- Walton County Representative
Continual Operation and Expansion of
Our Military Installations is Critical
to Our Region's Economic Foundation:
|
Okaloosa Defense Spending
($Millions) |
|
Okaloosa
Economic Impact $ 6.6 Billion |
|
Procurement |
$ 1,066.7 |
|
Employment |
86,630 Jobs |
|
Salaries |
627.0 |
|
Sales Activity |
$ 3.7
Billion |
|
Pensions & Transfers |
548.8 |
|
Consumption |
$ 3.4
Billion |
|
Total Defense Spending |
$ 2,242.5 |
|
Capital Investment |
$ 613.7
Million |
|
Average
Earnings Per Military Job $81,300 |
|
Source: UWF Haas Center Florida Defense
Industry Economic Impact Analysis 2008 |
|
Some of the hyperlinked reports and briefings
provided below require
Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.

Click for a free download.
|
Okaloosa County and The Military, a Community In Partnership
Commissioner Bill Roberts, August 2004
To me, the names Okaloosa County and the United States military
are synonymous. The military, just like our beaches,
farmlands and forest, are part of what makes our county so
diverse and unique...
Northwest Florida Defense
Coalition
With the military presence being the #1
economic contributor across the Florida Panhandle, the EDC's
DSI initiated a five-county military community partnership.
In 2005, the five counties of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa,
Walton and Bay joined an alliance identified as the Northwest
Florida Defense Coalition to support the military
installations of Eglin Air Force Base,
Hurlburt Field, Duke Field, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Naval
Air Station Whiting Field, and Tyndall Air Force Base and
their surrounding communities.
Mission Statement
To strategically support and enhance Northwest
Florida’s military installations, missions and national
security strategies by diversifying our economic development
efforts and building upon existing military missions and
current defense industry infrastructure in order to
consolidate our strengths and commonalities to become one of
the most viable and progressive regions in America.
|
Topics of Concern |
|
|
Ö
Airspace/Airports |
|
Ö
Joint Gulf Range |
|
|
Ö
BRAC Implementation |
|
Ö
MILCON |
|
|
Ö
DoD Budget |
|
Ö
Multi-Services
|
|
|
Ö
Enhanced Use Leases |
|
Ö
Privatization |
|
|
Ö
Homeland Security |
|
Ö
RDT&E Center |
Each year in May, the coalition of
approximately 55 regional participants travels to Washington
DC to meet and converse with our Congressional Delegation and
Pentagon Leaders. In preparation of this trip, the
tri-county Defense Support Initiative Committee prepares a
talking-points paper addressing the community concerns
impacted by the military in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton
Counties. The DSI also prepares a
legislative topics paper for discussion on bills affecting
our economies.
One day in Washington DC is spent with
Congressional representatives such as Congressman Miller,
Congressman Boyd, Senator Martinez, and Senator Nelson.
The delegation will also meet with our neighboring state
representatives for shared impact discussions. A second
full day is comprised of military leaders from the Pentagon
sharing the latest updates on military issues affecting our
regional communities.
2009 Pentagon Speaker Presentations
Washington DC Strategic Community Support
By Jim Heald, DSI
Chairman
May 2009
Your EDC Defense Support Initiative (DSI) representatives just
returned from our annual visit to Washington, DC with the
Northwest Florida Defense Coalition. Once again, I was
privileged to be a part of the 55 person group that traveled
to Washington to meet with our Congressional Delegation and
various Pentagon Leaders on 13 and 14 May. As is typical, the
hard work that went into preparing for the trip ensured the
visit was productive and informative.

Northwest Florida Defense Coalition Military Installations
|
2009 Washington DC Delegation
Photographs |
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# # #
November 2005
Base Realignments and Closures (BRAC)
Accepted into Law
The final BRAC Commission report is
available at: www.brac.gov.finalreport.html
The 2005 Defense
Base Realignment and Closure Commission, commonly referred to
as BRAC, ordered 22 major bases closed. With the
BRAC 2005 recommendations enacted into law, implementation
efforts are now under way.
The DSI is committed to
assist Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field, Duke Field and the
communities in their transitioning to accommodate the
additional 5,000+ new military and civilian personnel coming
to the area as a result of the BRAC realignments. The
realignments will not only add new missions and new government
personnel but also their families. There will be a
magnitude of challenges and opportunities to effectively and
efficiently engage in these realignments across the region.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
October 2008
The Air Force was charged with having an environmental impact
study conducted on the potential impact of both the Army
Special Forces and the Air Force Joint Strike Fighter to the
Eglin AFB area. The draft EIS was release in March 2008
with several public hearings conducted across the tri-county
region. The
final EIS was released October 2008.
The EIS analyzed and identified potential problems
or concerns resulting from the BRAC realignments of the Army
7SFG(A) and the Air Force JSF Initial Training Center.
It addressed such things as airspace management, noise, land
use, transportation, utilities, safety and resources. This EIS
was utilized in the determination for the Record of Decision
for both cantonment areas.
Provided is the
Executive Summary of the
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) The complete
report can be viewed at:
http:://www.eglin.af.mil
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement
The October 2008 EIS resulted in a record of decision to begin
full construction of the JSF Initial Training Center on Eglin
AFB and to locate 59 of the 107 planned JSF aircraft. A
Supplemental EIS is currently underway to identify possible
alternatives for JSF flight training.
Eglin Air Force Base Impact
US Army 7th Special Forces Group
(Airborne) will move from Ft. Bragg, NC to Eglin AFB. The
MILCON began in December 2008 after the release of the
Record of Decision in November 2008. The influx of
personnel will be in 2011. The location of the new Army post
is in the north county area south of I10, west of Duke Field.
|
Estimated 7SFG(A) Annual Budget
Allocations |
|
Year |
Millions of FY08
Dollars |
|
FY 08 |
10.7 |
|
FY 09 |
220.0 |
|
FY 10 |
38.5 |
|
FY 11 |
115.4 |
|
Source: EAFB Draft EIS
Executive Summary, March 2008 |
|
7SFG(A) – Estimated Personnel at Eglin
AFB |
|
Personnel |
Number |
|
Total Daily 7SFG(A) Personnel |
2,200 |
|
Spouses |
1,452 |
|
Children |
2,415 |
|
Total |
6,067 |
|
Source: EAFB Draft EIS
Executive Summary, March 2008 |
To assist in this transition, a
BRAC Family Transition Team has been formed by the
Workforce Development Board to coordinate and serve as the
point of contact for community and family services. One
such service is the
Military Spouse Career Advancement program designed to
help advance military spouses to portable careers by providing
them with education and training in high-growth, high-demand
occupations.

F-35
Joint Strike Fighter Initial Training Center
(ITC) will beddown
where the current 33rd Fighter Wing is
located on the main base. The F-15 fighters
are being retired and began their drawn-down
in 2008. The first F-35 for the JSF ITC
will arrive at Eglin AFB in early 2010. The
influx of personnel is expected between 2010
and 2016.
|
JSF IJTS – Estimated Personnel at
Eglin AFB |
|
Personnel |
Number |
|
Pilot
Instructors |
134 |
|
Maintainer Instructors |
66 |
|
Pilot
Students |
109 |
|
Maintainer Students |
436 |
|
Government Civilians |
30 |
|
Contractors |
150 |
|
Aircraft Maintainers |
1,076 |
|
Aircraft Maintenance Squadron |
325 |
|
Total Daily JSF
Personnel |
2,326 |
|
Spouses* |
1,163 |
|
Children* |
1,396 |
|
Total People New to Area
|
4,885 |
|
*Due to lack of
demographic data for the JSF IJTS program, it is assumed
there is a 50 percent distribution of married personnel
and a 30 percent distribution of personnel with no more
than two children. |
|
Source: EAFB Draft EIS Executive Summary, March 2008 |
EDC Launches Campaign in Support of the F-35
Welcome F-35 Facts
In March 2009,
Eglin Air Force Base hosted two groundbreaking events
1) US
Army 7th Special Forces Group Airborne
2)
US Air Force
Joint Strike Fighter Initial Training Center
Joint Strike Fighter; Air Power for the 21st Century
Major General Charles Davis, Executive Officer F-35
Lightning II Program
September 2008
Major General Davis was the EDC's keynote speaker at their
September 2008
Roundtable Symposium. MGen Davis presented to Okaloosa County business
and community leaders regarding the state-of-the-art
military fighter the F-35 or Joint Strike Fighter.
The F-35 will be replacing the current F-15 stationed on
Eglin AFB in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton Counties.
The community will loose approximately 4,000 in population
by year 2010 when all of the F-15s are gone along with the
personnel that fly and work on them. The F-35 will
start arriving at Eglin in 2010 and will repopulate our
communities with a net gain of approximately 800 by 2016
when all of the planes are at Eglin. Thank you to
our sponsors ARINC, Lockhead Martin and Walton County
Chamber of Commerce.
An
April 2009 F-35 Noise Analysis, summarized the
conclusion as
-
Marginally
less than or comparable to the F-22, F-18 E/F, and F-16 with
an F-100-PW-229 engine at military and afterburner power
-
The
acoustics experienced by ground personnel is comparable to
other fighter aircraft as perceived by the human ear
Integrated Weapons Research Center
arrived in 2007 with approximately 35 personnel. This is
a weapons research, development, acquisition, test and
evaluation center located on the Eglin main base.
Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field will be
relocating approximately 1,000 personnel to Cannon AFB by
2009. The deployment started in the Fall 2007.
A Cannon Community Transition Team has been set up by the
Workforce Development Board to coordinate and serve as the
point of contact for community and family services.
Duke Field
Duke Field is the preferred site for the
incoming Special Forces personnel to locate. This
relocation is anticipated by 2009.
|
Eglin Reservation BRAC Impact |
|
33rd
Fighter Wing Transition to JSF Training Center |
Army 7th
Special Forces |
Integrated Weapons
Research Center |
|
F-15 Drawdown begins 2008 |
2200 Personnel |
36 Personnel |
|
F-35 Beddown Begins 2010 |
Begin arriving 2010 |
Arriving 2007 |
|
2326 Personnel |
$332M MILCON |
$2M MILCON |
|
$400M MILCON |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Overview |
|
|
|
By 2016 |
|
|
|
4562 Personnel |
|
|
|
$734M MILCON |
|
|
|
6500 Dependents |
As of
December 2008 |
MILCON
Coalition
The forecasted amount for
military construction (MILCON) in Okaloosa County as a result
of BRAC is over $730 million.
As one
of its growth
management initiatives, the
Okaloosa County EDC joined forces with the Okaloosa-Walton
Workforce Development Board to
reach out to prime contractors who will be undertaking the MILCON projects. Also participating
in the coalition are the Okaloosa-Walton
Building Industry Association, the Florida Procurement
Technical Assistance Center and local building trades groups.
Vision 2015
In preparation for the incoming BRAC
realignment personnel and their families, Eglin Air Force Base
conducted a public summit on
growth management
in May 2006,
Vision 2015. The objective
was to foster collaboration between Eglin AFB and the
communities. Working together with joint-use of land,
infrastructure, and construction, the military community and
the public communities can accomplish more together than
separately.
Federal, state, local and military
representatives discussed the status of new units moving to
Eglin Air Force Base, regional growth challenges facing the
communities... such as transportation, affordable housing,
schools... and the success of collaborative planning.
Vision 2015 Vector Check
In November 2006, Eglin AFB hosted a
Vision 2015 Vector Check sponsored by the Okaloosa EDC.
The purpose of this vector check was to provide a follow-up to
the Spring's Vision 2015 Summit:
Vision 2015 Vector Check II
Eglin AFB hosed their second vector
check November 2007 with the Okaloosa EDC providing
sponsorship. Approximately 100 community leaders from
the tri-county area participated.
Vision 2015 Vector Check III
The third follow-up summit was held November 19, 2008 at the Ramada Beach Resort
on Okaloosa Island, Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Sponsorship
was provided by the Okaloosa EDC and DSI.
Summit presentations
can be viewed on the
Growth
Management page.
Post-BRAC Realignment Impact Analysis to the Three-County Area
Economic Impact of Military
Personnel Realignments in Okaloosa County
April 2007
In support of Eglin’s growth management plan, Vision 2015, and
Okaloosa County’s Eglin Installation Growth Committee, the
Okaloosa EDC engaged the UWF Haas Center to conduct an
analysis on our three-county area. Emphasis was placed on the
economic impacts anticipated in our tri-county region due to
the BRAC realignments in regards to numbers and timelines.
Dr. Harper, Haas Center Director, worked with Air Force
representatives to obtain the most current information and
analyzed numerous areas such as housing, transportation,
education, medical and utility services.
Annual Net BRAC Impact Figures
|
Input |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Military Construction – 7th Special Forces |
-- |
-- |
$125 M |
$126 M |
$126 M |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Military Construction – JSF |
-- |
-- |
$73.2 M |
$73.2 M |
$73.2 M |
$73.2 M |
$73.2 M |
-- |
-- |
|
Military Construction – DTRA |
$1 M |
$1 M |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Military Personnel – 7th SF, 33rd
FW, JSF |
-- |
-175 |
-867 |
537 |
1,575 |
824 |
-113 |
212 |
446 |
|
Contractor Manpower |
-- |
15 |
13 |
47 |
68 |
75 |
17 |
-- |
-- |
|
Civilians |
-- |
43 |
43 |
24 |
5 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Population |
1 |
-453 |
-2,614 |
-1,078 |
3,453 |
6,102 |
6,300 |
7,251 |
8,860 |
|
Family Members |
-- |
-199 |
-1,449 |
1,109 |
2,981 |
1,633 |
-169 |
382 |
803 |
|
School-age Children |
-- |
-32 |
-369 |
324 |
828 |
466 |
-39 |
103 |
216 |
Essential Workforce Housing
The EDC formed the
Essential Workforce
Housing Initiative to include Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and
Walton Counties as well as Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field.
This initiative is addressing the current housing needs as
well as the needs of the anticipated influx of personnel and
their families.
Eglin AFB reports being able to
accommodate 20% of the 5,000 military personnel moving to the
area as a result of the BRAC realignments. The other 80%
will need to live in the civilian communities; our cities and
towns.
Eglin's
Housing Privatization
will demolish and rebuild some of the current on-base housing.
BRAC
and workforce housing in Okaloosa County
Okaloosa Board of
County Commissioners
Eglin Installation Growth
Committee
In support of Eglin’s Vision 2015, the
Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners initiated their
three-county
growth management plan; the Eglin Installation Growth
Committee. The umbrella of this
committee consists of twelve executive committee members with
eleven sub-committees. Each sub-committee will
discuss issues related to their topic, identify challenges and
develop strategies to address those challenges. The
sub-committee will then share this information with the
Executive Committee which reports to the county and ultimately EAFB. The
goal of the Board of County Commissioners is a
long-term strategic plan on growth management.
The EDC and DSI
have representation on multiple levels in the executive committee and
in sub-committees.
Concurrently,
Okaloosa County is also conducting a
Joint
Land Use Study for the tri-county area which is
supported by a federal grant through the Office of Economic
Adjustment.
Eglin Joint Land Use Study, Interim Draft Report, July 2008
Program Budget Directive 720
(PBD 720)
(i.e. 46th Test
Wing, Test and Evaluation) Conducted outside
of the scope of BRAC, in early 2006, the Air Force proposed a budget
directive to cut fiscal expenditures. These cuts would
include downsizing and relocating the 46th Test Wing from
Eglin AFB to Edwards AFB in California. This proposed AF
reduction (30% cut) in Test & Evaluation (T&E) is contrary to
Congress' BRAC Law of establishing and maintaining Eglin as the
RDT&E
Center of Excellence. Manpower
reductions, as a result of losing the 46th Test
Wing, could total 2000+, including virtually all contractor
positions and reduction of civil service workforce.
Elimination of armament test capabilities at Eglin could have
irretrievable, long term negative impacts on the area and its
economy. As a result, the DSI, which is three-county
strong, took an active and progressive role in support of the
46th Test Wing's location at Eglin.
In the Fall of 2006 Congress ceased all 46th TW relocation
initiatives and directed an economic analysis be conducted
with scenarios addressing whether the wing stays or relocates.
The Rand Corporation was commissioned to conduct the study for
Congress and provided its results in the Summer of 2007.
The preliminary findings resulted in the 46th Test Wing
staying put. Two additional studies
were conducted to further support and confirm the original
findings. In
2008, the Air Force made a proposal to restructure the 46th
Test Wing chain-of-command, which could potentially result in
loss of missions and personnel. Relocating or restructuring
the 46th TW could enact devastating repercussions
across our communities as the highly trained and highly
skilled personnel and their families move out of our area.
Representative Miller and our two senators, Senator Nelson and
Senator Martinez, sent a joint letter to the Air Force
leadership expressing concern over the proposed
restructuring. The 46th Test Wing offers highly
educated personnel and a subsequent higher pay scale for our
region and is an initiative of the Air Forces’ outside of the
BRAC law. As of the Fall of 2008, this action is "off
the table."
U.S.A.F. News Release
Test and Evaluation Consolidation Report Delivered to Congress
May 2, 2007
WASHINGTON -- The Air Force has delivered to Congress a
cost-benefit analysis of budget proposals concerning
consolidation of Air Force test facilities.
Defense Environmental Network &
Information Exchange (denix)
A comprehensive resource for defense installations &
environmental communities. This site provides
outstanding material regarding the relationships between
military bases and their host committees:
https://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/Library/Sustain/Ranges/sustainableranges.html
*
For additional information contact
Kay Rasmussen,
Director of Defense and Economic Initiatives and the
tri-county Defense Support Initiative.
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