Escambia and Santa Rosa form the Northwest Florida Defense Coalition

John Conger, who had worked for more than a decade at the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill, spoke on behalf of the Northwest Florida Defense Coalition at the first Bi-County Military Mission Forum and had a little story to share with Escambia and Santa Rosa County. leaders on how the military-industrial complex bureaucracy works.

It was a story about two communities competing with each other at a time when the US military was reducing troop size, with the loser facing the elimination of an entire brigade. At a public meeting held before a decision was made, thousands of people showed up to voice their concerns, while at Fort Knox, Kentucky, no one showed up to advance that base’s case.

Fort Knox lost its only brigade.

“I’m not going to say not going to the meeting was the deciding factor, but it made a difference. It was noticed,” Conger told the hundred or so people gathered in Milton for the forum. “The dynamic we are all working with here is this: show things, but don’t show more things.”

Conger’s message to those representing Whiting Field in Santa Rosa County and Pensacola Naval Air Station in Escambia was simple.

“Nowhere else in the state of Florida do military installations have such a large share of the economy and represent such a large percentage of jobs as in this area,” he said, adding that the turnout for the forum showed him something important. “It matters that the community cares about the bases, cares about the mission and cares about the Department of Defense.”

The Northwest Florida Defense Coalition was formed as a nonprofit organization last fall. According to retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Don Quinn, who spoke alongside Conger, the mission is to convince decision-makers in Washington of the benefits of maintaining a robust military presence in the two-county area.

The contributions of NAS Pensacola and Whiting Field to military readiness cannot be understated. As a brochure distributed at the forum notes, NAS Pensacola produces all of the Navy’s Air Force Combat Systems Officers, Naval Flight officers and unmanned aircraft system pilots and Whiting Field, “the busiest aviation complex in the world,” produces 1,200 pilots annually and has responsibility for training 100% of all military helicopter pilots.

Combined, the two bases are also responsible for 54% of the economies of Santa Rosa and Escambia counties.

While both bases appear to be secure in their roles within the Department of Defense infrastructure and are not facing the threat of realignment or closure, Quinn said, both also have immediate needs that must be met.

At NAS Pensacola, one of three Navy hangars, B3260, was condemned after Hurricane Sally due to structural damage. The other two base hangars “have mesh in the ceiling so that pieces of concrete do not fall on aircraft or personnel,” according to the forum brochure.

Base leadership needs $20 million to begin the process of repairing Hangar 3260 so that it can be used for the time it takes to build a new, consolidated hangar.

For Whiting Field, the most pressing need is the construction of a new Child Development Center. The existing center is located in a 78-year-old building that served as a package store before being converted into a shelter for children in the mid-1990s, according to meeting literature.

Whiting Field leadership is also seeking $20 million from the federal government to finance the demolition of the old building and construction of a new 20,000-square-foot child care center.

Quinn told attendees Wednesday that the money the bases need to achieve their short-term goals is available in the form of $5 billion set aside in fiscal year 2024 to be used for such projects. He and Conger also presented their thoughts on the most productive method to lobby for funding.

Conger said elected local representatives, not lobbyists, are more likely to leave a lasting impression on the politicians and military officials who make funding decisions.

“The elected officials are the ones who are going to get things done. You will do the real work,” he said. “They like you better.”

According to Quinn, not just elected county officials but any representative from a region like Northwest Florida can prove influential as long as the message delivered to Washington remains frequent, clear and consistent.

“In DC, a cutting attack doesn’t work,” he said. “We need to be seen there consistently, we need to inform our mayors and others what our priorities are, so we are a consistent mission.”

Quinn also said that choosing officials from two counties to appear in Washington, instead of just one, would also work to the Northwest Florida Defense Coalition’s advantage.

Whiting Field Commander Capt. Paul Flores and NAS Pensacola Commander Capt. Terry Shashaty were also present Wednesday and provided a briefing of their own, accompanied by their community planning and liaison officers, Randy Roy of Whiting and Steve Opalenik of NAS Pensacola.

More: Educating international students is a core part of NAS Pensacola’s mission. Will that change after shooting?

The base officials spoke about the importance of building strong ties with the community outside the base.

“The base not only runs within the fence line, but it is part of the community,” Flores said. “We really have a great relationship with the community. We have something special here, as evidenced by the fact that we organize an event like this to talk about our challenges.”

Roy spoke about the success of the projects undertaken at Whiting Field with Santa Rosa County and its economic development team, including the creation of the Whiting Aviation Park, where Leonardo Helicopters, who built the helicopters now used primarily for training on the base , has established a maintenance facility.

Santa Rosa County Commission Chairman Sam Parker and Escambia County Commission Chairman Steven Barry also spoke at the event. Parker said it makes sense for the two counties to form a partnership to support the Navy bases in both because the economic benefits that flow from both counties are enjoyed throughout the region.

“To say we are joined at the hip would be a huge understatement,” he said.

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