Local Officials Pitch Military Projects in Washington

Washington, DC -- Santa Rosa County Commission Chairman Colton Wright and Escambia County Commissioner Mike Kohler were in Washington last week advocating for military funding and projects in Northwest Florida.

The trip, organized through the Northwest Florida Defense Coalition, focused on several priorities including hangar repairs at NAS Pensacola, a child development center at NAS Whiting Field, and a potential land swap involving the Navy's Outlying Field off Highway 87.

Wright says the child development center is a pressing need, with more than 100 children on the waiting list at the current facility, which is housed in an old package store.

"When you've got junior lieutenants and officers going through flight training, the last thing we need is to have them worrying about having some place for their kid," Wright said.

On the land swap, Wright says the county could save the Navy money by using local contracting to build or rehab runways faster and cheaper than federal procurement allows.

The delegation also met with Department of Homeland Security officials about bringing a Coast Guard boot camp to NAS Pensacola. Wright says officials were impressed by the existing infrastructure, including a $30 million investment in berths for cutters, and the quality of life in Northwest Florida.

Wright says competitors include Beaufort, South Carolina and locations in Texas. He questioned how landlocked Birmingham, Alabama, which has also expressed interest, could host Coast Guard training.