HURLBURT FIELD COMMANDER SEEKS HELP

The new commander of Hurlburt Field is calling on Okaloosa County leaders to address what he says is a national security threat: traffic on Highway 98. Colonel Mark Hamilton told commissioners this week that congestion is affecting the base's ability to launch missions on short notice. Nearly 9-thousand active duty and civilian personnel commute on the highway daily. Many airmen are moving farther away due to high housing costs, making their commutes nearly an hour long. Hamilton also asked commissioners to support military families by improving access to childcare and mental health resources. Only one commissioner responded to his request. The counties are studying a four-million-dollar collector road project along Highway 98 to help ease congestion.