High-Impact Testing to Temporarily Close Roads Near Eglin AFB

Several major highways near Eglin AFB will temporarily close Jan. 16 to support military testing missions, with closures lasting up to 90 minutes.
Breaking Barriers: AFWERX Innovators Elevate Opportunity in the Air Force

Two Airmen earned commissioning opportunities after presenting a low-cost drone detection system to senior Air Force leaders.
New Fitness Options Signal Major Shift in Air Force Readiness

The Air Force is updating fitness test standards, offering more exercise options, and resuming official testing under new rules in July 2026.
Eglin Air Force Base Is Awarded A Multi-Billion Dollar Contract to Support Infrastructure and Modernization

Air Force Awards Multi-Billion Dollar Contract to Support Eglin Staff Reports December 31, 2025 12:48 pm Eglin Air Force Base, Emerald Coast, Government, Hurlburt Field, Mary Esther, Military In Brief: π€ Who: U.S. Air Force; Strategic Test Solutions LLC β What: $1.87 billion operations and maintenance contract π When: Awarded in December 2025; runs through […]
Charges Against Former AFSOC Chief Anthony Green Revealed

The Air Force Special Operations Command’s former top enlisted man will face serious charges, starting in February.
GALLERY: Christmas 2025 on the Emerald Coast (Send in your photos NOW!)

Merry Christmas to all from Mid Bay News! Here are the photo highlights of the season from around Northwest Florida and the Emerald Coast!
Patronis Demands Answers on Special Operations Relocation

Florida Congressman Jimmy Patronis and Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody are pressing Pentagon leaders for answers after the Air Force finalized its plan to move the 492nd Special Operations Wing from Northwest Florida to Arizona. In a sharply worded letter, the lawmakers warn the relocation could slow U.S. response times to growing threats in Venezuela and the Caribbean and question why the Air Force relied on Biden-era climate considerations instead of current national security priorities.
‘Minutes Matter’: Hurlburt Commander says traffic and housing now threaten U.S. Special Operations

Col. Mark Hamilton didnβt mince words. In a briefing to Okaloosa County Commissioners, the new 1st Special Operations Wing commander said traffic, housing costs, childcare shortages, and mental-health access are now affecting the wingβs ability to launch global missions on short notice.
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.
New Commander takes the helm over Hurlburt Field’s 1st Special Operations Wing

A new chapter begins at Hurlburt Field β and itβs led by a veteran Air Commando with two decades of experience and a mission to carry the 1st Special Operations Wing into the future.