Military Support

Military activity in Okaloosa County, and Florida as a whole, has long been a major contributor to the economy. Okaloosa hosts the largest military installation in the Department of Defense; Eglin Air Force Base. The military installations in the county are the #1 economic engine and generate additional employment by attracting defense contracting firms to the area. The defense-related spending in the County creates employment and investments and continues to multiply as it circulates throughout the region’s economy.

Florida Military Friendly Guide

Protect the Military Mission Line

It is widely recognized that the Gulf Range is a national treasure, unable to be replicated anywhere else in the continental United States.

While drilling advocates have cited a potential economic impact resulting from drilling activities in the eastern Gulf as near 56,000 jobs and $2.6 billion in annual revenue; the resultant loss would be much greater. The January 2022 Florida Defense Factbook sites Eglin Air Force Base in NW Florida as providing an impact of over $9 billion annually and over 74,000 jobs. That economic impact would be at risk, not to mention our national security, if drilling and related exploratory activities were allowed in the EGOMEX military training range.

Oil drilling structures and wind turbines east of the Military Mission Line have been identified as being incompatible with military activities, would negatively impact our military’s readiness and compromise our nation’s military superiority.

We request your support in continuing to protect this American asset by writing your Congressional members to pass a permanent sustainment of the Military Mission Line moratorium.

Letter of Support Example

Tri-County Community Partnership Initiative, TCPI

A community partnership program is a framework through which military installation, civic, and business leaders collaborate to develop creative ways to leverage respective abilities and resources to reduce operating costs and increase capabilities on shared services. The net result is a “win-win” scenario where parties in an agreement realize a benefit. One Okaloosa EDC established the TCPI in 2013 as a public-public, public-private (P4) partnership facilitator to support local military installations.

TCPI Brochure www.floridapartnerships.com

Defense Support Initiatives Committee, DSI

With the largest military installation in the backyard, and the largest economic engine for Okaloosa County, the One Okaloosa EDC established the DSI in 1996 as an ongoing military issues advocacy group to support and promote the local military installations, missions and their positive economic contributions to the tri-county area of Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties.

Learn more

Northwest Florida Greenway

The Northwest Florida Greenway is a beltway of encroachment protection for both military and non-military communities. With the growing needs of our population, environment and national security, the Northwest Florida Greenway provides a mutually beneficial answer to preventing encroachment. The Northwest Florida Greenway initiative paved the way as the precurser for the newly awarded Sentential Landscape footprint.

Northwest Florida Sentinel Landscape

International Economic Development Article

Find out more at www.nature.org

TeCMEN

The Technology Coast Manufacturing and Engineering Network, TeCMEN, was established by One Okaloosa EDC in 1989 to be the premier business advocate for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) industries. TeCMEN provides opportunities for innovative collaboration and advanced technical expertise locally, regionally, and in the competitive global marketplace. Contact One Okaloosa EDC for prompt, comprehensive engineering, manufacturing and technical solutions in commercial, defense and aerospace market sectors.

Learn more about TeCMEN