Florida lawmakers are questioning the Air Force’s plan to move a key special operations wing from Northwest Florida to Arizona.
They argue the decision could hinder U.S. response times to threats in Venezuela and the Caribbean and relies on outdated climate-focused policy.
The delegation is demanding detailed documentation and justification from Pentagon leaders within 30 days.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Jimmy Patronis, joined by Florida Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, issued a detailed letter to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink raising a series of pressing questions about the Air Force’s recent decision to relocate active-duty special operations personnel and key equipment from Northwest Florida to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.
The lawmakers say the move—finalized this fall—is not only strategically questionable but also potentially damaging to national security at a time of increasing instability in South America, especially Venezuela. They also argue the Air Force has failed to fully justify the shift or provide transparency about the data and cost estimates used in the decision-making process.
The relocation affects the 492nd Special Operations Wing (SOW), a highly specialized unit that has long operated out of Hurlburt Field and Duke Field, both central components of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). These installations place Special Operations Forces (SOF) close to U.S. Southern Command’s areas of concern and allow rapid deployment into the Caribbean and Latin America.
In the letter, Patronis and the senators highlight that moving these units more than 1,500 miles west could nearly double response times for SOF missions in the Caribbean basin and South America. They emphasized that the change isolates the units from the broader network of East Coast–based special operations forces and from U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) coordination hubs.
“Given the Trump Administration’s increasing focus on Venezuela and the Caribbean, geographically isolating these assets from the rest of the nation’s special operations infrastructure seems contradictory to national security,” the letter states.
The delegation also raised concerns that the basing decision relied heavily on guidance from the 2022 Biden National Defense Strategy, which directed the military to consider climate change as a major factor in basing and operational planning.
According to the letter, the Air Force cited its internal “Power Projection Wing” concept, also shaped during the Biden Administration, as a driving consideration—despite the Trump Administration’s intention to abandon or revise that concept.
“Wouldn’t it be more prudent,” the lawmakers wrote, “to make a decision informed by the current administration’s vision for the Air Force, especially in the context of combating narco-terrorism?”
The lawmakers say they’ve been given no list of alternative bases reviewed as part of the basing analysis—a requirement outlined in the Air Force’s own Strategic Basing Instruction (DAFI 10-503).
This lack of transparency, they argue, prevents Congress and the public from understanding the strategic, logistical, or environmental factors used to justify the move.
The delegation also stressed that the Air Force Secretary—not subordinate commands—made the final decision, raising further questions about what options were presented and how much weight was given to readiness, cost, and operational efficiency.
Despite the scope of the relocation, the Air Force has not provided Congress with complete cost projections.
Earlier planning documents referenced:
Nine new facilities totaling 408,000 square feet
Twenty-eight facility renovations totaling 585,000 square feet
Two demolitions totaling 14,000 square feet
However, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported in July that the Air Force had not yet identified the necessary military construction requirements for standing up the new Power Projection Wing in Arizona.
With tighter budgets and a nationwide push for defense spending efficiency, the Florida delegation questions whether this move is fiscally responsible—and whether it should be delayed until basic cost information is provided.
In addition to financial and strategic questions, the lawmakers expressed concern that relocating units from a command-controlled base (AFSOC headquarters at Hurlburt Field) to a location where they would be “mere tenants” could hinder SOF coordination and operational effectiveness.
The letter asks what studies or assessments—if any—were conducted to address these risks.
To obtain clarity, the delegation formally requested the following documents:
Air Force Form 813 (Environmental Impact Analysis) and all associated materials
Basing Action Request and name of approving official
Site surveys required by DAFI 10-503
All documents shared with the House and Senate Armed Services Committees
Briefing notes tied to the Air Force’s “stoplight charts” referenced during briefings
All materials submitted to the Secretary of the Air Force must be received before the final decision.
The lawmakers concluded by reiterating their responsibility to protect Northwest Florida’s military missions and ensure the nation’s defense strategy remains strong and efficient.
“We stand ready to work collaboratively to ensure that the best interests of our Armed Forces and our national security are served,” they wrote.
Congressman Jimmy Patronis represents Florida’s First Congressional District and serves on the House Committee on Small Business and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He works daily to support small businesses, strengthen America’s military, advocate for veterans, and protect every citizen’s opportunity to pursue the American dream. Follow Congressman Patronis on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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