Bay County – 1 of 5 ‘Great American Defense Communities” 2019
Washington, D.C., January 2 — Five communities across the country have been named to the 2019 class
of Great American Defense Communities, the Association of Defense Communities (ADC) announced
with USAA, the program’s official sponsor. The Great American Defense Communities program, now in
its fourth year, recognizes military communities and regions that help improve the quality of life for
service members, military families and veterans.
The 2019 class includes Bay County, Fla., home to Tyndall Air Force Base; Clovis, N.M., the community
neighboring Cannon AFB; Greater Columbia Region, S.C., the region surrounding Fort Jackson; the
Middle Georgia region, which is home to Robins AFB; and The North Country-Fort Drum region of New
York.
- Bay County is the proud home of two DoD installations, Tyndall AFB since 1941 and Naval Support Activity Panama City since 1945. Bay County and the seven municipalities in the metropolitan statistical area actively incorporate the needs of the installations in their strategic plans and work closely with local programs dedicated to supporting military families. In October 2018, Hurricane Michael stunned Tyndall AFB and the region, introducing a new set of challenges for Bay County. ADC looks forward to sharing the community’s story of resilience in 2019.
“Defined by a mission of force and family, readiness and resilience, America’s defense communities are
the foundation of our military’s strength,” ADC President Bill Parry said. “The communities we recognize
through the Great American Defense Communities program represent the best examples of what
communities can do to create great places for our military families to live and work. We congratulate
these five communities and look forward to sharing your stories with the nation.”
The Great American Defense Communities program recognizes the overall support that communities
and regions in the United States provide to service members and military families. Communities are
chosen through a competitive selection process which considers community building and integration,
support and collaboration, educational and employment opportunities, and family support.
“The 2019 Great American Defense Communities highlight some of the most important regions of the
country serving and supporting our military families,” said John Bird, retired Navy vice admiral and
senior vice president of military affairs at USAA. “Military families are a vital part of each of these
communities and are in turn supported through a variety of civic programs and initiatives focused on
improving their quality of life.”
Defense communities, regions which are home to active military installations, were eligible to apply for
the 2019 class of Great American Defense Communities. This year’s selected communities will be
honored throughout the year, including at the Defense Communities National Summit in Washington,
D.C., in June 2019.
About Great American Defense Communities
The Great American Defense Communities program was launched in 2015 in association with the
Defense Communities Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The inaugural
class, honored in 2016, included Colorado Springs, Colo.; the Dayton, Ohio, region; the Eglin-Hurlburt,
Fla., community; the Flint Hills, Kan., region; the Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., region; Grand Forks, N.D.;
Lawton, Okla.; Monterey, Calif.; and South Puget Sound, Wash.
The 2017 class included the Alamo – San Antonio, Texas, region; the Charleston, S.C., region; Christian
Co., Ky.; the Fort Hood – Central Texas region; Goldsboro, N.C.; the Hampton Roads, Va., region; Sierra
Vista, Ariz.; the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments; and West Valley Partners in Arizona.
