Florida Defense Support Commission highlights encroachment work, grants and spouse licensing aid
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Summary
Tim McGregor, executive director of the Florida Defense Support Commission, told the Senate committee the commission has awarded grants to protect installations, produced a military benefits guide and is expanding outreach to preserve missions and ease transitions for military families.
Tim McGregor, executive director of the Florida Defense Support Commission, reviewed the commission’s recent work and priorities at the Committee on Military Veterans Affairs, Space and Domestic Security on Oct. 15.
The commission, McGregor said, focuses on preserving military missions from encroachment, supporting local economic and workforce development tied to installations, and improving services for service members and families. “One of our biggest things we do is help protect against encroachment,” McGregor said, citing examples such as noise and light pollution that can affect base operations.
McGregor described the commission’s origin and statutory role: it was reestablished in 2024 via the legislative measure referenced in the briefing (Senate Bill 1420) and now operates as a support organization tied to the Department of Commerce. The commission oversees several grant programs, including the Florida Defense Support Commission Grant, the Defense Infrastructure Grant and the Defense Reinvestment Grant. From 2019 through 2024, the office awarded about $9.1 million in grants, McGregor said; those grants have funded projects to prevent encroachment, acquire land near bases and support infrastructure.
The commission has produced a military benefits guide and a licensed-reciprocity matrix for licensed professions to ease transitions for military spouses and families. McGregor said his office printed an initial run of 6,000 guides and that an online version is available at floridajobs.org. He also described the commission’s outreach: base tours, meetings with industry partners such as Lockheed Martin and local visits to installations including Hurlburt Field, Whiting Field, Naval Station Mayport, Tyndall, MacDill Air Force Base, Camp Blanding and Homestead Air Reserve Base.
McGregor told the committee the commission operates on approximately a $2 million annual budget and said he is advocating to increase that to $5 million to broaden the commission’s grant and outreach work. He outlined how grants have enabled targeted local projects such as a security gate between Leonardo Helicopters and NAS Whiting Field.
Senator Sharif asked McGregor about Lockheed Martin’s Center for Innovation; McGregor said the center focuses on simulation and technology development and leverages local talent and universities to prototype advanced simulators. The committee thanked McGregor for the briefing and distributed copies of the military benefits guide.
Before adjournment, Senator Sharif moved to adjourn; seeing no objection, the committee adopted the motion and adjourned.