MacDill Air Force Base

The Tampa Bay Defense Alliance supports MacDill Air Force Base which creates billions of dollars in economic benefit for our region. Crucial to the Tampa Bay Region and the State of Florida, MacDill is the second largest “employer” behind the school districts and is third largest economic driver in the entire State behind agriculture and tourism.

As goes MacDill, so goes the region. As cited in a 2013 Haas Center report completed for Enterprise Florida and the Florida Defense Support Task Force, the Tampa Bay region is at risk to lose of 1.3 billion dollars in gross regional product and 13, 000 jobs supporting that product by the end of 2015. The risk increases over time. Communicating the importance of MacDill to the region can and will help slow the loss of jobs and gross regional product.

From its founding, MacDill AFB has been a “Center of Gravity” and has served as a vital operational and logistical location for strategic campaigns.  MacDill is not the base at the “end of the peninsula.” It is the location that has always been looked upon for all operations into the Caribbean, Latin America and South America.

Despite a historical legacy dating over 70 years; endless contributions toward the defense of our nation; the operational “turn to” base for all contingencies and humanitarian/disaster relief missions projected from our Southeast US, MacDill is mainly known as the “Home of CENTCOM and SOCOM.” MacDill is not fully recognized for its local, regional and national contributions to the community, the state and the nation’s defense.

Now is the time to reaffirm to our elected Leadership, the Department of Defense (DOD,) the Air Force and Air Mobility Command (AMC) that MacDill deserves to utilize its capacity and to build on proven operational value. MacDill is of national importance as a vital force projection Main Operating Base (MOB) of the Southeast US now and for foreseeable future.

One of our most important initiatives is the development of a strategic campaign championing MacDill Air Force Base; reaffirming its capacity/capability today; while, more importantly highlighting its enormous value to our national security for decades to come. Our goal is to change perceptions, generate respect, and to recommit our Defense leaders to the importance that MacDill serves geographically, operationally and logistically to our nation, the State of Florida and to our war-fighting Commanders of US Central Command (CENTCOM) and US Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

Learn about MacDill AirForce Base by visiting their website at: https://www.macdill.af.mil/