The city’s Military Affairs and Veterans Department received $1,088,000 in grants from the State of Florida Defense Infrastructure Grant Program, the Defense Reinvestment Grant Program and the Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant Program.
The grants comprise:
• $500,000 from the Defense Infrastructure Grant Program to implement encroachment protection and compatible land use for Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport and Outlying Field Whitehouse.
• $88,000 from the Defense Reinvestment Grant Program to provide federal advocacy on Department of Defense budget priorities and decisions that impact Northeast Florida military bases, missions and personnel.
• $500,000 from the Florida Defense Support Task Force Grant Program to implement encroachment protection and compatible land use for Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport and Outlying Field Whitehouse.
A city news release said that In Northeast Florida, the defense industry has a $14.3 million economic impact, including more than 122,000 jobs, the city says. In the past eight years, Jacksonville secured $8,979,253 in local, state and federal grants for programs, services and advocacy efforts supporting military and veterans.