Florida Defense Alliance

The state of Florida provides the most innovative and comprehensive military, defense and national security support in the Nation.

Florida Defense Alliance Enhances Florida’s Military

Florida Defense Alliance is a statewide effort coordinating among military installations, government and industry players to bring value to the state’s military operations.

Per Florida Statute 288.980, the Florida Defense Alliance (FDA), is an organization within Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI), designated as the organization to ensure that Florida, its resident military bases and missions, and its military host communities are in competitive positions as the United States continues its defense realignment, and base structure adjustment, as well as efforts with the defense industrial base. The defense alliance shall serve as an overall advisory body for defense-related activities of EFI. The FDA may receive funding from appropriations made for that purpose administered by the department.

The FDA is a grassroots consortium of representatives of defense-related organizations including federal, state, and local government as well as the defense industry, economic development organizations and other interested parties who come together in order to protect, promote and enhance the military value of Florida’s installations and missions. The FDA has established the Mission Sustainment and Family Support Working Groups, as required, to prepare for the future. Looking to take steps towards understanding the Florida Defense Alliance? Email mildef@enterpriseflorida.com to sign up for the FDA daily news clips. View some of our FDA resources below:

Vision

Maintain and enhance the position and reputation of Florida as the most military-friendly state in the nation.

Purpose

Enterprise Florida, Incorporated created the Florida Defense Alliance (FDA) in 1998 in accordance with Florida Statute 288.980 as a non-profit partnership between the Governor, Florida state officials, the Florida Congressional Delegation, state legislators, base commanders and staff, community leaders and business executives to increase military value, enhance base capabilities and promote multi-service synergies for Florida’s military bases, while supporting and enhancing the quality of life for Florida’s military families.

Mission

Foster federal military presence in the State of Florida in support of national defense
Preserve test, training and staging areas suitable for maneuver by ground, naval or air forces to guarantee future availability of such areas to ensure the readiness of the Armed Forces conducting operations in Florida
Expand defense-related industries
Ensure that both active and retired Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, National Guard, reserves and family members receive continual improvement to quality of life
Support local efforts to enhance the value of military installations

Membership

The FDA is a consortium of representatives of defense-related organizations including federal, state, and local government as well as defense industry, economic development organization, and other interested parties who come together in order to protect, promote and enhance military value of Florida installations and missions. FDA will establish working groups, as required.

Meetings

Florida Defense Alliance Meeting, May 17, 2023; Tallahassee

FDA Meeting Minutes

FDA Meeting Agendas

FDA Meeting Presentations

FDA Newsletters Archive

News Releases

New National Security Partnership Benefits Florida’s State University System, Talent Pipeline – September 30, 2020

Resources

Rules on Incompatible Develoment

Kellie Jo Kilberg

Chair

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Rick Miller

Vice Chair

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Chris Middleton

Mission Sustainment Working Group Chair

Christopher Middleton serves as the University of West Florida’s Assistant Vice President of Defense Programs in the Office of the President. He is also Chair of the West Florida Defense Alliance and a retired Navy Captain. He leads initiatives in defense market growth, veteran talent pipeline, and economic development. Military partnerships and research opportunities centered on the Federal portfolio in Florida guide strategic initiatives. The University of West Florida is one of 12 campuses in the State University System of Florida. The system has been ranked #1 in the country for higher education by U.S. News & World Report for the third year in a row. In his Navy flying career, he accumulated over 3,000 flight hours and 830 arrested landings operating from eight different aircraft carriers. He served as the Commanding Officer of the U.S. Navy’s largest EA-18G and EA-6B squadron. The EA-18G is a variant of the F/A-18F Hornet. His last active-duty assignment was as a director at the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC). The command spanned global training and education at sea and ashore to over 50,000 enlisted, officer, foreign, and government students. He also commanded in combat, leading an EA-6B Prowler squadron deployed with a Carrier Air Wing in support of operations over Afghanistan and Iraq. Between his command tours, he was selected as a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow and assigned to FedEx Express World Headquarters. He has deployed with a special operations task force and has staffed operations centers at Pacific Fleet Headquarters, in the Middle East, and in the National Military Command Center (NMCC) in Washington, D.C. He was commissioned from the United States Naval Academy and is a graduate of the Naval War College, where he was selected as a member of the Stockdale Advanced Research Group. He has also attended executive courses at the Naval Postgraduate School, Stanford University, and the University of Virginia. He is a graduate of the U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School and the U.S. Army Airborne School. He currently resides with his family in Pensacola, Florida.

Kathleen Nestor

Family Support Working Group Chair

Jonathan Borgert

Executive Board

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Jennifer Codo-Salisbury

Executive Board

Jennifer Codo-Salisbury is the Deputy Director of the Central Florida Regional Planning Council. She leads a dynamic and multi-functional planning team which administers programs including Brownfields, Hazard Mitigation, Geographical Information Systems, military installation compatibility, local land use planning, and state and federal grant administration and coordination.

Paul Hirsch

Executive Board

Paul J. Hirsch has over 40 years of public and private-sector experience. His public sector expertise is in the areas of congressional relations, federal installation management and real estate at both the corporate and field levels of the Federal government. His private-sector experience includes working with Congress, the Executive Branch and state and local governments in the area of economic development, defense facility enhancement, technology, and public policy issues. He is the President of Madison Government Affairs Inc., a DC based planning and lobbying firm.

Tim Jones

In Memoriam

Tim Jones has over 30 years’ experience as a management professional in Information Systems, Communications and Information Technology in global environments. He was the Founder and President of Advanced Concepts Engineering. He is also the former Lead government representative for the Joint Operations Technology Center for Space and Naval Warfare.