Florida, identified for its mesmerizing seashores, vibrant cities, and numerous pure landscapes, additionally performs a major position within the nation’s navy infrastructure. Residence to quite a few navy bases and installations, Florida has a long-standing historical past of strategic significance and continues to be a significant hub for the USA Armed Forces.
The Sunshine State’s strategic location alongside the southeastern coast makes it a perfect gateway for navy operations throughout the globe. Its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea gives entry to important delivery lanes and international commerce routes.
Florida’s navy bases serve quite a lot of functions, from coaching and readiness to analysis and improvement. These installations are dwelling to 1000’s of active-duty navy personnel, civilian staff, and their households, making a major contribution to the state’s financial system and native communities.
navy bases florida
Florida’s navy installations play an important position in nationwide safety and international operations.
- Strategic location: gateway to Atlantic, Gulf, and Caribbean.
- Residence to main instructions: CENTCOM, SOCOM, and USSOUTHCOM.
- Various installations: air bases, naval stations, coaching facilities.
- Financial affect: billions in annual spending, 1000’s of jobs.
- Cultural heritage: museums, monuments, historic landmarks.
- Environmental stewardship: defending pure assets on bases.
- Neighborhood engagement: partnerships with native governments and faculties.
- World attain: supporting operations worldwide.
- Innovation hubs: analysis and improvement amenities.
- Resilience: withstands hurricanes and different pure disasters.
Florida’s navy bases are important property contributing to the state’s financial system, safety, and international affect.
Strategic location: gateway to Atlantic, Gulf, and Caribbean.
Florida’s navy bases are strategically positioned to function a gateway to the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. This distinctive location offers a number of benefits for navy operations and international engagement.
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Entry to important delivery lanes:
Florida’s navy bases are located close to main delivery lanes, permitting fast deployment of naval forces to guard commerce routes and make sure the free move of commerce.
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Proximity to potential battle zones:
The state’s location makes it a perfect staging floor for navy operations within the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. This proximity permits a swift response to regional crises and humanitarian emergencies.
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Gateway to international operations:
Florida’s navy bases function a hub for international navy operations. Troops and tools could be quickly deployed to varied components of the world, supporting missions starting from peacekeeping to counterterrorism.
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Joint operations and workouts:
Florida’s strategic location facilitates joint operations and workouts with associate nations within the area. These collaborations improve navy coordination, strengthen regional safety, and foster diplomatic relationships.
As a gateway to 3 main our bodies of water, Florida’s navy bases play a vital position in sustaining regional stability, defending nationwide pursuits, and projecting American energy overseas.
Residence to main instructions: CENTCOM, SOCOM, and USSOUTHCOM.
Florida is dwelling to 3 main unified combatant instructions of the USA Armed Forces: Central Command (CENTCOM), Particular Operations Command (SOCOM), and Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM).
CENTCOM:
CENTCOM is answerable for navy operations within the Center East, Central Asia, and the Horn of Africa. Its headquarters is positioned at MacDill Air Power Base in Tampa, Florida. CENTCOM’s mission contains conducting navy operations, offering safety cooperation, and constructing partnerships with regional allies.
SOCOM:
SOCOM is answerable for planning and conducting particular operations missions worldwide. Its headquarters is positioned at MacDill Air Power Base as properly. SOCOM’s extremely skilled and specialised forces are tasked with finishing up unconventional warfare, counterterrorism, and different delicate operations.
USSOUTHCOM:
USSOUTHCOM is answerable for navy operations in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and the encircling waters. Its headquarters is positioned at Doral, Florida, close to Miami. USSOUTHCOM’s mission contains supporting associate nations in countering transnational threats, selling regional stability, and conducting humanitarian help and catastrophe aid operations.
The presence of those main instructions in Florida underscores the state’s strategic significance in international navy operations. These instructions coordinate and oversee a variety of navy actions, from counterterrorism and peacekeeping to humanitarian help and catastrophe response.
Florida’s navy bases present important infrastructure and help for these instructions, enabling them to hold out their missions successfully and effectively.
Various installations: air bases, naval stations, coaching facilities.
Florida’s navy installations embody a variety of amenities, together with air bases, naval stations, coaching facilities, and specialised amenities. This variety of installations permits the state to help quite a lot of navy operations and missions.
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Air bases:
Florida is dwelling to a number of main air bases, together with Eglin Air Power Base, Homestead Air Reserve Base, and MacDill Air Power Base. These bases are geared up with runways, hangars, and different infrastructure to help fighter jets, bombers, and transport plane. They play a significant position in coaching pilots, conducting navy workouts, and deploying forces world wide.
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Naval stations:
Florida’s naval stations, comparable to Naval Station Mayport and Naval Air Station Jacksonville, present help for the U.S. Navy’s fleet of ships and submarines. These stations supply deep-water ports, upkeep amenities, and coaching areas for naval personnel. Additionally they function homeports for plane carriers and different main warships.
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Coaching facilities:
Florida is dwelling to specialised coaching facilities that present instruction in varied navy expertise and occupations. Examples embody the U.S. Military’s Jungle Warfare Coaching Heart in Panama Metropolis and the U.S. Air Power’s Air Floor Operations College at Hurlburt Subject. These facilities supply real looking coaching environments to arrange navy personnel for a variety of operational eventualities.
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Specialised amenities:
Florida additionally hosts specialised navy amenities, such because the U.S. Particular Operations Command’s Joint Particular Operations College in Tampa and the U.S. Military’s seventh Particular Forces Group (Airborne) at Eglin Air Power Base. These amenities present superior coaching and help for particular operations forces, enabling them to hold out complicated and delicate missions.
The various vary of navy installations in Florida displays the state’s strategic significance and its capability to help a large spectrum of navy operations, from coaching and readiness to international deployments and specialised missions.
Financial affect: billions in annual spending, 1000’s of jobs.
Florida’s navy bases have a major affect on the state’s financial system. The Division of Protection spends billions of {dollars} yearly on operations, upkeep, and building at these installations. This spending creates 1000’s of jobs and helps native companies.
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Direct employment:
Army bases make use of 1000’s of active-duty navy personnel, civilian staff, and contractors. These personnel contribute to the native financial system via their salaries, advantages, and spending. For instance, in 2020, the Division of Protection employed over 100,000 civilian personnel at its Florida installations.
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Oblique employment:
Army spending additionally creates oblique jobs within the native financial system. Companies that present items and companies to navy bases, comparable to building firms, meals suppliers, and transportation suppliers, profit from this spending. These companies make use of 1000’s of extra staff.
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Financial multiplier impact:
The financial affect of navy bases extends past direct and oblique employment. The cash spent by navy personnel and civilian staff circulates via the native financial system, supporting different companies and industries. This creates a multiplier impact, producing extra financial exercise and jobs.
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Infrastructure and improvement:
Army bases usually put money into native infrastructure, comparable to roads, bridges, and utilities. These investments profit your entire neighborhood, not simply the navy. Moreover, the presence of navy bases can entice new companies and residents to the world, additional stimulating financial progress.
Florida’s navy bases are main financial drivers, contributing billions of {dollars} to the state’s financial system and supporting 1000’s of jobs. The financial affect of those bases extends far past the navy itself, benefiting native communities and companies all through the state.
Cultural heritage: museums, monuments, historic landmarks.
Florida’s navy bases aren’t solely facilities of navy exercise but additionally repositories of cultural heritage. Many bases have museums, monuments, and historic landmarks that inform the story of the navy’s position within the state and the nation.
Museums:
A number of navy bases in Florida have museums that showcase the historical past and accomplishments of the navy and its personnel. For instance, the Nationwide Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola is without doubt one of the largest naval aviation museums on this planet. It incorporates a huge assortment of plane, artifacts, and displays that hint the historical past of naval aviation from its early days to the current. Different notable museums embody the U.S. Military’s seventh Particular Forces Group (Airborne) Museum at Eglin Air Power Base and the U.S. Air Power Armament Museum at Eglin Air Power Base.
Monuments and memorials:
Florida’s navy bases are additionally dwelling to quite a few monuments and memorials that honor navy personnel who’ve served and sacrificed. These monuments function a reminder of the state’s navy heritage and the contributions of its service members. For instance, the united statesArizona Memorial at Naval Air Station Pensacola commemorates the sailors who misplaced their lives within the assault on Pearl Harbor. One other notable memorial is the “Fallen Warriors Memorial” at MacDill Air Power Base, which honors the sacrifices of those that have fallen in service to the nation.
Historic landmarks:
Many navy bases in Florida are positioned on or close to websites of historic significance. For instance, Fort Pickens on Pensacola Seaside is a historic fort that was constructed within the early nineteenth century to guard the doorway to Pensacola Bay. Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West is one other historic fort that performed a task within the Civil Struggle. These historic landmarks supply a glimpse into Florida’s wealthy navy historical past and the position that the state has performed in shaping the nation.
The cultural heritage related to Florida’s navy bases is a vital a part of the state’s id. These museums, monuments, and historic landmarks assist to protect and share the tales of the women and men who’ve served within the navy, they usually encourage future generations to find out about and admire the sacrifices which were made to guard our freedom.
Visiting these cultural heritage websites is a good way to study extra about Florida’s navy historical past and to pay tribute to the courageous women and men who’ve served our nation.
Environmental stewardship: defending pure assets on bases.
Florida’s navy bases are dwelling to a various vary of pure assets, together with forests, wetlands, seashores, and coastal ecosystems. These assets present essential habitat for wildlife and contribute to the state’s general environmental well being. Army installations in Florida have a duty to guard these pure assets and guarantee their long-term sustainability.
Environmental rules and insurance policies:
Army bases in Florida are topic to quite a lot of environmental rules and insurance policies that information their actions and operations. These rules assist to guard air and water high quality, preserve pure assets, and stop air pollution. For instance, bases are required to adjust to the Clear Air Act, the Clear Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. Additionally they have their very own environmental administration packages that set particular targets and aims for shielding pure assets on base.
Habitat conservation and restoration:
Many navy bases in Florida have applied habitat conservation and restoration packages to guard and improve pure assets on their installations. These packages could embody planting native timber and vegetation, restoring wetlands, and creating wildlife corridors. For instance, Eglin Air Power Base has a long-standing partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to guard and handle threatened and endangered species on the bottom. The bottom additionally has a program to revive and keep longleaf pine forests, that are an essential habitat for quite a lot of wildlife.
Sustainable practices:
Army bases in Florida are additionally adopting sustainable practices to cut back their environmental affect. These practices could embody utilizing renewable vitality sources, lowering water consumption, and recycling waste. For instance, MacDill Air Power Base has put in photo voltaic panels and wind generators to generate renewable vitality. The bottom additionally has a complete recycling program and has lowered its water consumption by implementing water-saving measures.
Via their environmental stewardship efforts, Florida’s navy bases are demonstrating their dedication to defending pure assets and making certain the long-term sustainability of the state’s surroundings.
The environmental stewardship efforts of Florida’s navy bases are an essential a part of the state’s general conservation and sustainability targets. These efforts assist to guard and protect pure assets, improve biodiversity, and make sure the long-term well being of the surroundings for future generations.
Neighborhood engagement: partnerships with native governments and faculties.
Florida’s navy bases are actively concerned in neighborhood engagement and outreach efforts, partnering with native governments and faculties to construct robust relationships and foster a way of shared duty. These partnerships profit each the navy installations and the encircling communities.
Collaboration with native governments:
Army bases in Florida work carefully with native governments on quite a lot of points, together with land use planning, infrastructure improvement, and emergency response. These partnerships assist to make sure that the wants of the navy and the neighborhood are met. For instance, navy bases could present assets and help to native governments throughout pure disasters or different emergencies. In flip, native governments could present help with infrastructure tasks or land use planning.
Academic partnerships:
Army bases in Florida have established partnerships with native faculties and academic establishments to help STEM schooling, profession improvement, and navy historical past schooling. These partnerships present alternatives for college students to find out about navy careers, discover STEM fields, and acquire a deeper understanding of the position of the navy in society. For instance, MacDill Air Power Base has a partnership with the College of South Florida to supply academic packages and analysis alternatives to college students and college. The bottom additionally hosts an annual STEM expo that brings collectively college students, educators, and navy personnel to showcase STEM tasks and actions.
Neighborhood occasions and outreach:
Army bases in Florida additionally host quite a lot of neighborhood occasions and outreach packages to have interaction with the encircling communities. These occasions could embody open homes, air reveals, concert events, and sporting occasions. They supply alternatives for navy personnel and their households to work together with the neighborhood, and for neighborhood members to study extra in regards to the navy and its mission. Moreover, navy bases usually present volunteers and assets to help native charities and neighborhood organizations.
Via their neighborhood engagement efforts, Florida’s navy bases are constructing robust relationships with native governments, faculties, and neighborhood organizations. These partnerships profit each the navy and the neighborhood, fostering a way of shared duty and mutual help.
The neighborhood engagement efforts of Florida’s navy bases are an essential a part of the state’s general social cloth. These efforts assist to create a optimistic and supportive surroundings for navy personnel and their households, whereas additionally strengthening the bonds between the navy and the neighborhood.
World attain: supporting operations worldwide.
Florida’s navy bases play a significant position in supporting navy operations world wide. Their strategic location and numerous amenities make them supreme staging grounds for deployments and operations in varied areas.
World deployment and logistics:
Florida’s navy bases function hubs for the deployment of troops, tools, and provides to places world wide. For instance, MacDill Air Power Base is a serious hub for airlift operations, supporting the fast deployment of personnel and cargo to varied theaters of operation. Naval Station Mayport is a serious naval base that helps the deployment of ships and submarines to the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and past.
Joint operations and workouts:
Florida’s navy bases are additionally used for joint operations and workouts with associate nations. These workouts assist to strengthen navy cooperation, improve interoperability, and construct relationships with allies. For instance, Eglin Air Power Base hosts quite a lot of joint workouts with associate nations, together with air fight coaching and particular operations workouts.
Humanitarian help and catastrophe aid:
Florida’s navy bases are sometimes known as upon to offer humanitarian help and catastrophe aid each domestically and internationally. For instance, navy personnel from Florida bases have provided支援 to communities affected by pure disasters comparable to hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. They’ve additionally offered medical help and provides to nations in want.
Via their international attain and capabilities, Florida’s navy bases play a vital position in supporting U.S. navy operations world wide. They supply important infrastructure, logistical help, and coaching amenities that allow the navy to reply shortly and successfully to a variety of challenges and missions.
The worldwide attain of Florida’s navy bases is a testomony to the state’s strategic significance and its dedication to international safety and stability.
Innovation hubs: analysis and improvement amenities.
Florida’s navy bases are dwelling to a variety of analysis and improvement amenities which might be on the forefront of innovation in navy know-how and capabilities. These amenities conduct cutting-edge analysis in areas comparable to synthetic intelligence, autonomous techniques, hypersonic weapons, and directed vitality weapons.
Analysis and improvement facilities:
A number of navy bases in Florida have devoted analysis and improvement facilities that concentrate on particular areas of navy know-how. For instance, Eglin Air Power Base is dwelling to the Air Power Analysis Laboratory’s Munitions Directorate, which develops and exams new weapons and munitions techniques. Naval Air Station Pensacola is dwelling to the Naval Air Warfare Heart Coaching Programs Division, which develops and evaluates coaching techniques for naval aviators and different navy personnel.
College partnerships:
A lot of Florida’s navy bases have partnerships with universities and analysis establishments to conduct joint analysis and improvement tasks. These partnerships leverage the experience and assets of each the navy and academia to advance navy applied sciences and capabilities. For instance, the College of Central Florida has a partnership with the Naval Air Warfare Heart Coaching Programs Division to develop new coaching applied sciences for naval aviators.
Innovation challenges and competitions:
Some navy bases in Florida host innovation challenges and competitions to encourage the event of latest applied sciences and options to navy issues. These challenges and competitions entice innovators from world wide to submit their concepts and prototypes. For instance, MacDill Air Power Base hosts the annual “AFWERX Spark Tank” competitors, which offers funding and help to entrepreneurs and startups growing modern applied sciences for the Air Power.
Via their analysis and improvement amenities, college partnerships, and innovation challenges, Florida’s navy bases are enjoying a significant position in advancing navy know-how and capabilities. These efforts assist to make sure that the U.S. navy stays on the forefront of innovation and is ready to satisfy the challenges of the twenty first century.
Florida’s navy bases are hubs of innovation, the place cutting-edge analysis and improvement is carried out to push the boundaries of navy know-how and capabilities.
Resilience: withstands hurricanes and different pure disasters.
Florida is susceptible to hurricanes and different pure disasters, comparable to floods and wildfires. Florida’s navy bases are designed and constructed to resist these pure hazards and proceed working even within the aftermath of a catastrophe.
Infrastructure hardening:
Army bases in Florida have invested in infrastructure hardening measures to guard their amenities and tools from pure disasters. These measures could embody reinforcing buildings, putting in hurricane-resistant home windows and doorways, and elevating vital infrastructure above flood ranges. For instance, MacDill Air Power Base has applied a complete hurricane preparedness plan that features reinforcing buildings, elevating electrical tools, and putting in flood limitations.
Emergency response and restoration:
Florida’s navy bases have well-established emergency response and restoration plans in place to cope with pure disasters. These plans embody procedures for evacuating personnel, securing amenities, and offering humanitarian help to affected communities. For instance, Naval Air Station Pensacola has a devoted emergency operations middle that coordinates the bottom’s response to pure disasters and different emergencies.
Mutual support and help:
Florida’s navy bases work carefully with native governments and emergency administration businesses to offer mutual support and help throughout pure disasters. This collaboration ensures that assets are shared and that affected communities obtain the help they want. For instance, Eglin Air Power Base has a mutual support settlement with Okaloosa County to offer emergency shelter, meals, and water to residents in want.
Via their infrastructure hardening measures, emergency response plans, and mutual support partnerships, Florida’s navy bases are resilient to pure disasters and play a significant position in supporting affected communities throughout and after these occasions.
The resilience of Florida’s navy bases is a testomony to the significance of those installations to the state and the nation. Their capability to resist pure disasters and proceed working ensures that they will fulfill their missions and supply vital help to the encircling communities.
FAQ
Listed below are some incessantly requested questions on navy bases in Florida:
Query 1: Why are there so many navy bases in Florida?
Reply: Florida’s strategic location, numerous geography, and favorable local weather make it a perfect location for navy installations. The state’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea offers entry to important delivery lanes and international commerce routes. Moreover, Florida’s distinctive pure assets and numerous ecosystems supply alternatives for coaching and testing navy personnel and tools.
Query 2: What varieties of navy bases are positioned in Florida?
Reply: Florida is dwelling to all kinds of navy bases, together with air bases, naval stations, coaching facilities, and specialised amenities. These bases help varied branches of the U.S. navy, together with the Air Power, Navy, Military, and Marine Corps.
Query 3: What’s the financial affect of navy bases in Florida?
Reply: Army bases in Florida have a major financial affect on the state. They generate billions of {dollars} in annual spending, create 1000’s of jobs, and help native companies. The financial affect extends past direct and oblique employment to incorporate multiplier results that profit your entire neighborhood.
Query 4: What are among the distinctive options of Florida’s navy bases?
Reply: Florida’s navy bases are dwelling to quite a lot of distinctive options, together with museums, monuments, historic landmarks, and specialised coaching amenities. These options contribute to the cultural heritage of the state and supply alternatives for schooling and recreation.
Query 5: How do navy bases in Florida contribute to international safety?
Reply: Florida’s navy bases play a significant position in supporting international safety. They supply a strategic location for deploying troops and tools, conducting joint operations and workouts with associate nations, and offering humanitarian help and catastrophe aid world wide.
Query 6: What are among the challenges dealing with navy bases in Florida?
Reply: Army bases in Florida face a variety of challenges, together with the specter of pure disasters, comparable to hurricanes and floods. Moreover, these bases should adapt to altering geopolitical landscapes and evolving navy applied sciences.
Regardless of these challenges, Florida’s navy bases stay important to the state’s financial system, safety, and international affect. They’re a testomony to the state’s long-standing dedication to nationwide protection and its position as a strategic hub for the U.S. navy.
In case you are planning a visit to Florida, make sure to go to among the state’s many navy bases and study extra about their wealthy historical past and contributions to the nation.
Ideas
Listed below are some ideas for exploring navy bases in Florida:
Tip 1: Plan your go to prematurely.
Many navy bases supply public excursions and occasions, however it’s essential to plan your go to prematurely. Verify the bottom’s web site or contact the general public affairs workplace to seek out out about obtainable excursions and occasions. Some bases could require reservations or safety clearances, so it is best to plan forward.
Tip 2: Be respectful of navy personnel and property.
When visiting a navy base, it is essential to be respectful of navy personnel and property. Observe all posted guidelines and rules, and be aware of your habits. Keep in mind that navy bases are energetic navy installations, and sure areas could also be restricted to licensed personnel solely.
Tip 3: Reap the benefits of academic alternatives.
Many navy bases have museums, historic landmarks, and different academic displays which might be open to the general public. These displays present a chance to study in regards to the historical past of the bottom, the navy’s position in Florida, and the sacrifices made by navy personnel. Some bases additionally supply academic packages and workshops for college students and adults.
Tip 4: Assist native companies close to navy bases.
Army bases usually have a major financial affect on the encircling communities. When visiting a navy base, take the chance to help native companies close to the bottom. This might embody consuming at native eating places, purchasing at native shops, or staying at native lodges. By supporting native companies, you possibly can assist to strengthen the neighborhood and present your appreciation for the navy’s presence.
Exploring navy bases in Florida is a good way to study in regards to the state’s navy historical past, honor the sacrifices of navy personnel, and help the area people. By following the following pointers, you possibly can benefit from your go to and have a protected and pleasurable expertise.
Whether or not you’re a historical past buff, a navy fanatic, or just in search of a novel journey expertise, Florida’s navy bases supply one thing for everybody.
Conclusion
Florida’s navy bases are a testomony to the state’s strategic significance and its dedication to nationwide safety. Residence to main instructions, numerous installations, and a wealthy navy historical past, these bases play a significant position in supporting navy operations world wide.
The financial affect of navy bases in Florida is critical, producing billions of {dollars} in annual spending and supporting 1000’s of jobs. The bases additionally contribute to the state’s cultural heritage via their museums, monuments, and historic landmarks.
Florida’s navy bases are actively engaged in neighborhood outreach and partnerships with native governments and faculties. These partnerships foster a way of shared duty and mutual help between the navy and the neighborhood.
Along with their home missions, Florida’s navy bases play a vital position in supporting international operations. They supply important infrastructure, logistical help, and coaching amenities for the deployment of troops and tools world wide.
The innovation hubs positioned at Florida’s navy bases are on the forefront of navy know-how and capabilities. These amenities conduct cutting-edge analysis and improvement in areas comparable to synthetic intelligence, autonomous techniques, and hypersonic weapons.
Florida’s navy bases are additionally resilient to pure disasters, comparable to hurricanes and floods. They’re designed and constructed to resist these occasions and proceed working even within the aftermath of a catastrophe.
In conclusion, Florida’s navy bases are important property to the state and the nation. They contribute to the state’s financial system, safety, and international affect. The women and men who serve at these bases are devoted to defending our freedom and making certain the protection of our nation.
Whether or not you’re a Florida resident, a navy fanatic, or just a curious traveler, I encourage you to study extra in regards to the state’s navy bases and the essential position they play in our state and nation.
