Fort Walton Beach Area
From a population of 90 in 1940 to over 186,000 in 2005, the greater Fort Walton Beach area (Okaloosa County) has enjoyed growth in many areas. Undiscovered for many years, the area abounds with both large and small businesses, beautiful residential neighborhoods, condominium complexes, an active industrial park, and several opportunities for outdoor sports and activities. The top rated educational system provides students with the opportunity of a kindergarten through graduate school education. Situated on the beautiful white sands of the Emerald Coast on the Gulf of Mexico, Fort Walton Beach draws from a business area of more than 177,000 people.
Okaloosa County Schools
Okaloosa County School System Okaloosa County has 37 public schools, six private schools, and two vocational centers, all accredited by the State of Florida and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The school system is ranked as one of the best educational systems in the nation. Students from the system rank among the highest in the nation in SAT and ACT scores. Sixty-four percent of the graduating seniors continue on to higher education. The county also has one of the top rated Exceptional Child Programs for the gifted student, learning disabled & homebound students. To enroll a student, a proof of birth date, student social security number, and immunization against polio, diphtheria, rubeola, rubella, pertussis, tetanus and mumps is required. A physical examination is required for first-time students entering a Florida school, regardless of age. More information on public schools may be obtained from the Okaloosa County School Board, Administration Building, 120 Lowery Place SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548. (850) 833-3100.
Visit their web site at www.okaloosaschools.com.
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base, the world's largest military reservation, along with Hurlburt Field and Duke Field, have an immense total economic impact on Okaloosa County and the Fort Walton Beach area. The total economic impact of DoD activity in Okaloosa County is $5 billion. Hurlburt and Eglin together employ 23,000+ military and civilian workers. In addition, these facilities attract numerous high and mid-tech industries, and the skilled workers (and their families) that are needed to keep them operational. Reductions in personnel and operations by the military are not anticipated to occur in Northwest Florida.
 The Eglin Complex is one of the largest Air Force bases in the world. The base encompasses 724 square miles of land area and 97,963 square miles of water ranges in the Gulf of Mexico. Established in 1935,the military reservation has 10 auxiliary fields including Hurlburt Field and Duke Field. Eglin is home to the Air Force Materiel Command's Air Armament Center, the focal point for Air Force armaments. The Center is responsible for the development, acquisition, testing, deployment and sustainment of all air-delivered weapons. AAC plans, directs and conducts tests and evaluations of U.S. and allied air armament, navigation/guidance systems and command and control systems.
The Government operates two Air Force installations, providing host support not only to Eglin, but also to Kirtland AFB, NM. The center supports the largest single base mobility commitment in the Air Force. AAC accomplishes its mission through four components - the Armament Products Directorate (Eglin), the 46th Test Wing (Eglin), the 96th Air Base Wing (Eglin) and the 377th Air Base Wing (Kirtland).
The McKinley Climatic Laboratory is capable of testing military hardware as largest bombers in environments ranging from minus 65 to plus 165 degrees Fahrenheit with 100 mph winds, icing, clouds, rain and snow.
Other facilities unique to Eglin are the Guided Weapons Evaluation Facility (GWEF) and the Preflight Integration of Munitions and Electronics Systems Facility (PRIMES).
The GWEF is the only facility of its kind able to test the complete spectrum of weapon seekers under one roof, including millimeter wave, laser, infrared, radio frequency electro optical and The PRIMES provides ground test and evaluation support for aircraft electronic and weapon systems. A fiber-optic data link connects the PRIMES to the GWEF for laboratory simulation tests of weapon seekers.
Eglin is host to approximately 50 associate units. These units include the 33rd Fighter Wing, the 53rd Wing, the 919th Special Operations Wing, the 20th Space Surveillance Squadron, the Army's 6th Ranger Training Battalion, and the Navy's Explosive Ordnance Disposal School, among many others.
Click here for the Eglin Air Force Base website.
Hurlburt Field
 Hurlburt Field is the home of the Air Force Special Operations Command and the only active duty Air Force Special Operations Wing. The 16th Special Operations Wing organizes, trains and equips Air Force special operations forces for global deployment. It focuses on unconventional warfare, including counter-insurgency and psychological operations during low-intensity conflicts.
As part of the Air Force Special Operations Command, the air arm of the U.S. Special Operations Command and at the direction of the National Command Authority, the 16th SOW deploys with specially trained and equipped forces from each service, working as a team to support national security objectives.
Hurlburt Field supports a fleet of more than 50 aircraft with a military and civilian work force of more than 7,000 people. The Wing's aircraft fleet consists of: MC-130 Combat Talons, MC-13OP Combat Shadow tankers, AC-130 Spectre/Spooky gunships, MH-53l Pave Low III enhanced helicopters, UH-IN Huey helicopters and CASA 212s.
The wing has been active in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, Just Cause in the Republic of Panama, Desert Shield/Storm in Iraq, Provide Promise and Deny Flight in Bosnia, Uphold Democracy in Haiti, Joint Endeavor in the Balkans, Assured Response in Liberia, and Silver Wake in Albania. The men and women of Hurlburt Field's 16th Special Operations Wing live up to their motto "Any Time, Any Place".
Click here for the Hurlburt Field website.
Duke Field
 The 919th Special Operations Wing is at two locations, in two types of associate units, with two types of aircraft. At Duke Field, it is the Active Associate Unit. That is, the Air Force Reserve owns the aircraft and the active duty provides aircrew and maintenance personnel to share the mission with reserve members. The 711th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) and 919th Maintenance Squadron (MXS) support the MC-130E Combat Talon I mission along with the active duty’s 8th SOS and the 716th MXS, subordinate units of the 16th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
The 919th Special Operations Wing’s other flying unit, the 5th SOS, located at Eglin Air Force Base, is the Reserve Associate Unit. That is, the active duty’s Air Force Special Operations Command owns the aircraft and the reserve forces provide aircrew and maintenance personnel to share the mission with active duty members. The 5th SOS and 719th MXS support the MC-130P Combat Shadow alongside the active duty's 9th SOS and 16th MXS, subordinate units of the 16th SOW.
The 919th SOW provides and maintains MC-130E (a reserve asset) and MC-130P (an active duty asset) special operations aircraft designed for covert operations. Both aircraft provide more than 60 percent of helicopter refueling training requirements to the U.S. Special Operations Command.
As the only special operations unit in the Air Force Reserve, the 919th SOW deploys in numerous contingencies throughout the world. In October 2001, more than 600 wing reservists were activated in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the war against terrorism. The 919th Security Forces Squadron was the first Air Force Reserve unit to be activated in support of OEF. By October 2002, close to 550 reservists were extended for a second year of activation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the two-year period following Sept. 11, 2001, the wing tallied approximately 1,800 combat sorties, 5,000 combat hours, and more than 700 reservists activated. In September 2003, most wing members were deactivated; however, wing members continue to volunteer for world-wide deployments.
The accomplishments of the men and women of the 919th SOW have made the wing the most highly decorated unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. The Air Force Outstanding Unit award has been bestowed on the unit 11 times. The eleventh time, it was with the “V” device for valor. The wing’s heritage lives on with its motto “Citizen Commandos—Always Ready.”
Click here for Duke Field information.
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