Bay County Designated as Official “Coast Guard Community”

PANAMA CITY, Florida – In recognition of its exceptional support for Coast Guard members and families, Bay County has been officially designated as a “Coast Guard Community” by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The honor was announced by the Military Affairs Committee (MAC) of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce at their First Friday meeting. According to MAC Chairman Garrett Anderson, the designation shows that Bay County goes “above and beyond” to create a welcoming home environment for Coast Guard families stationed in the area.

Bay County is only the 31st community in the nation to receive the Coast Guard Community designation. Earning the title involved an intensive application process over the past year, including 39 pages of application documentation, congressional approval, and final sign-off by the Coast Guard Commandant.

U.S. Representative Neal Dunn, a military veteran himself, remarked that Bay County’s strong military support makes the honor well-deserved. “We do support the military very, very, very strongly, overwhelmingly throughout the entire county,” Dunn said.

For Coast Guard Officer Justin Irwin, who recently moved to Bay County from Tennessee, the warm reception has been deeply meaningful. “This community is so patriotic and just being embraced in the community and loved and wanted means so much to the Coast Guard,” Irwin commented.

The Coast Guard will hold an official ceremony in the future to formally recognize Bay County as one of the select Coast Guard Communities nationwide. The exact date is still to be determined.