✈️ Groundbreaking Ceremony — The Air Force Enlisted Village broke ground on its seventh residential village for retired enlisted Airmen and their spouses.
🏗️ New Senior Housing Project — The 16-month project will expand independent living options on the AFEV campus between Shalimar and Eglin Air Force Base.
🎖️ Community Leaders Present — Local dignitaries, including Commissioner Drew Palmer and Rep. Patt Maney, attended and pledged continued support for the veteran community.
The Air Force Enlisted Village turned dirt to celebrate its groundbreaking on the seventh village open to former enlisted members of the Air Force and their spouses.
Air Force jets scrambled overhead and graced the event with a couple of coincidental flyovers as the roughly 100 people gathered for the groundbreaking sang the national anthem, prayed, and listened to speeches about the latest installment of housing at the village.
The project, which should be completed in 16 months according to multiple speakers who jokingly called out Spike Lord of Lord and Son for finishing on time, will accommodate another large cohort of independent living seniors at the facility between Shalimar and Eglin Air Force Base on the Eglin Range.
Dignitaries, including Okaloosa County Commissioner Drew Palmer, a former Airman and Florida State House Representative, and retired Army Major General T. Patterson Maney, were on hand to celebrate the groundbreaking.
“Amazingly, about seven years ago, we were doing the groundbreaking for Village six – where does time go?” said CEO of the Air Force Enlisted Village, Brooke McLean, “We are carrying on a legacy, and we’re standing on the shoulders of the people that went before us.”
RELATED: Air Force Enlisted Village’s Chief Celebrates a Decade of Service
Todd Simmons, the Chairman of the Board for the Air Force Enlisted Village, added that the project was another example of a place with a soul. When you enter these gates, you’re not in an assisted living or a retirement home, you are in a place that has souls, that has a purpose.”
Okaloosa County Commissioner Drew Palmer added that AFEV supports the residents, as well as the 120 people who work at the facility. “What a blessing it is to the residents, to the community for doing the work that you do here – it is a special place.”
Finally, Florida House Representative Patt Maney, who says he feels like a neighbor to the villagers in the facility, noted that he looked forward to securing more funding. This includes the millions he’s already secured from the Florida State Legislature to improve and expand the facility, which currently sits on 126 acres, for the future. “Thanks for inviting me, and I look forward to continuing to work to make the Air Force Enlisted Village a resource for the whole United States’ veterans community.”
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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