LiveOak Fiber, Fort Walton Beach Chamber Team Up to Support Military Families During Shutdown
LiveOak Fiber and the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce are providing 10,000 pounds of groceries to military families at Hurlburt Field on October 15, 2025, amid the federal government shutdown. Eligible DoD-affiliated families can pick up food in a drive-through distribution.
Niceville Braces for Federal Employees to Miss Paychecks
As the federal shutdown looks to stretch into its third week, Niceville braces for missed paychecks and offers relief measures for families tied to Eglin Air Force Base and other federal employers.
Eglin Air Force Base Announces Limited Services and Closures Amid Government Shutdown
Eglin Air Force Base will operate with reduced staff and partial closures in multiple service areas, including the library, dining facilities, fitness centers, and testing offices, amid the federal government shutdown.
Air Force Revises Physical Fitness Program, Adds Two-Mile Run and Updated Body Composition Standards
Beginning January 1, 2026, the Air Force will pause all Physical Fitness Assessments to transition to an updated program, with scored testing resuming September 1, 2026. The revised Physical Fitness Assessment includes a two-mile run, body composition measurement using the Waist-to-Height Ratio, and a 100-point scoring system across cardiorespiratory, muscle strength, and core endurance categories. Airmen will be required to test every six months, with diagnostic tests offered from March 1 through August 31, 2026, to help service members adapt to the new standards.
Falcon Peak highlights need to counter UAS threat
Falcon Peak 25.2 at Eglin Air Force Base focused on countering small drones at military installations. Demonstrations included the Anduril fly-away kit and Anvil effector intercepting aggressor UAS, with participation from USNORTHCOM, NORAD, and industry partners.
Eglin changes permitting, hunting regulations
Eglin Air Force Base has implemented new recreation permitting and hunting regulation changes—including background checks, mandatory check-in/out, and a lottery system for deer-dog hunting—to improve safety and resource management.
Okaloosa Commission approves $4M contract for VPS fuel farm expansion
Okaloosa County approved a $4 million expansion of Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport’s fuel farm, doubling storage capacity to keep pace with surging airline traffic.
US, Norway test maritime strike in High North
The U.S. Air Force and Royal Norwegian Air Force conducted a test on Sept. 3, 2025, of next-generation precision maritime strike capabilities—including using the QUICKSINK weapon system with a B-2 stealth bomber—in the Norwegian Sea.
Test wing’s life flight helps save child’s limb
A 96th Test Wing life-flight mission successfully transported a two-month-old infant with a limb-threatening blood clot from Miramar Beach to Gainesville amid severe weather when civilian transport was unavailable.
Autonomy Proving Ground advances with first alternative navigation flight
Eglin Air Force Base hosted test flights of the Osprey MK III unmanned aerial system using third-party alternative navigation software, marking the first time this aircraft flew with non-Air Force-developed systems as part of AFWERX’s autonomy testing program.
