U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Justin Roberts. 71st Rescue Squadron crew chief, marshals an HC-130J Combat King before take off at Moody AFB. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Airman 1st Class Greg Nash)
In 1940, when a group of Valdosta and Lowndes County business leaders and residents began looking for a way to help in the growing war efforts, no one could have imagined the tremendous impact of their efforts 75 years later.
Local leaders secured a 9,300-acre tract of land and construction began on what was then called Moody Field in September 1941. On Nov. 25, just days before the attacks on Pearl Harbor, 140 military personnel arrived at what is now Moody Air Force Base.
Today, Moody is comprised of more than 5,500 active duty and reservists and civilian employees assigned to 30 squadrons. The airmen of Team Moody fly and maintain the HC-130J Combat King II, the HH-60G Pave Hawk, and the A-10C Thunderbolt II, which had a combined total of approximately 40,000 flying hours and 14,500 sorties in 2015.
An Air Combat Command (ACC) installation, Moody has been home to the 23d Wing, America’s famous Flying Tigers, since 2006 and the 93d Air Ground Operations Wing since 2008.
The 23d Wing provides the Department of Defense’s only dedicated combat search and rescue capability through the employment of HC-130J Combat King IIs, HH-60G Pave Hawks, and Guardian Angels.
The 93d Air Ground Operations Wing operates as the broker between joint combat forces and the integration of air power capabilities.
“Moody has a profound economic impact on the Valdosta-MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area), which includes the counties of Brooks, Echols, Lanier, and Lowndes, as well as Berrien and Cook counties,” said Valdosta City Manager Larry Hanson. “Over 99 percent of Moody’s personnel lives in these six counties. Moody’s economic impact accounts for nearly 8 percent of the six counties gross regional product.”
With a total annual economic impact of more than $430 million, Moody supports approximately 3,000 civilian jobs in the regional area.
“In Lowndes County alone, 11 percent of the population is directly associated with Moody,” said Hanson. “The economic activity of Moody annually generates $22 million in state income and local property tax revenue alone.”
Over the years, a supportive working relationship between local governments and Moody has proven beneficial.
In the early 1990s, Moody’s presence in South Georgia was in jeopardy when it was placed on the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list. Local chambers of commerce, county and city governments, and the business community understood the devastating economic impact if Moody was closed.
As was in the beginning, it was community leaders and residents that took the lead in protecting Moody from closing. The Moody Support Committee was formed and included several retired Air Force officers—Bridg. Gen. Troy Tolbert, Col. Joe Prater, and Col. Bob Ator. The committee also included former Valdosta Mayor and retired Marine helicopter pilot Walter Gill Autrey Jr., along with Parker Greene, one of Moody’s longest-serving advocates and supporters.
The leaders not only had to prove that Moody was a major economic generator but also that the community would provide support wherever necessary.
Hanson said the Moody Support Committee, which is now led by Greene and his wife, Dr. Lucy Greene, remains an important connection between the base and Pentagon.
“Parker’s involvement with Moody began before BRAC or the Moody Support Committee,” said Hanson, who serves with Greene on the ACC Commander’s Group. “When he first moved to town he went to the chamber and started serving on the Military Affairs Committee.”
In 2007, Greene was honored for his years of service to Moody and the entire U.S. Air Force. The base’s $10 million consolidated customer service facility was officially named the Parker Greene Base Support Center. Also, Greene was presented with the Chief of Staff’s Award for Exceptional Public Service, the first person to receive this honor.
Those traveling to Moody from Valdosta do so on the “W. Parker Greene Highway”, an honor the city, county and Georgia Department of Transportation bestowed upon Greene in recognition of his years of dedication and support for Moody.
“Parker is the person that deserves most of the credit for Moody’s success from the years since BRAC,” said Hanson. “He and Lucy do so much for the airmen and their families to support them but also in demonstrating Moody and the community’s support for current as well as potential future missions for Moody.”
A Community United
What some have described as Valdosta’s “darkest hour” became a victory when Moody was removed from the 1991 BRAC list. However, it was also a wake-up call. Community leaders continue to be united in their efforts to protect one of South Georgia’s largest economic assets.
South Georgia leaders know that another BRAC is possible. The U.S. Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Report states the department is requesting Congress to authorize a new BRAC round in 2019.
Because of Moody’s important economic place within South Georgia, local chamber leaders formed the South Georgia Military Affairs Council (SGMAC) to prepare for a possible future BRAC.
SGMAC is composed of chamber members from the four counties that are most impacted by Moody—Berrien, Cook, Lanier, and Lowndes.
Nick Lacey, who is the SGMAC representative from the Berrien County Chamber of Commerce, stated that SGMAC is “dedicated to supporting Moody and to every extent possible immunizing it against BRAC.”
Lacey explained that SGMAC is part of a network that is actively working to ensure Moody remains an integral part of South Georgia.
“The real heavy lifting in support of Moody comes from Parker and Lucy Greene with the Moody Support Committee,” Lacey said. “The SGMAC is supplemental to what they do. They have phenomenal contacts throughout the Air Force and are at the highest level with connections in Washington and throughout the country.”
SGMAC also works to make the transition from military to civilian life easier. Programs such as Operation Moody Transition provides exiting military personnel with resources and business contacts to make finding a job in South Georgia easier.
More recently, SGMAC started working with Moody’s Family Support and Readiness Center to find ways to assist military spouses in finding jobs in the region.
“The major part of SGMAC is to help get our communities aligned in various areas to support Moody,” said Lacey. “We work with other groups and our city and county leaders to ensure Moody receives what it needs.”
Lacey said in addition to working on the local level, members of the SGMAC make regular trips to Atlanta and Washington to lobby on behalf of Moody.
Hanson said the strong relationship between Moody and the community is known throughout the Air Force.
“As a community, we fund efforts to support Moody through advocacy and the building and maintaining of strong relationships,” said Hanson, who also serves on the SGMAC. “We make regular trips to Washington to meet with Pentagon and Air Force officials.”
U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA), who was recently appointed to the Senate Armed Services Committee, said one of Moody’s greatest strengths is its versatility to handle a myriad of missions. The other is a strong community and base relationship.
“Folks at the Pentagon know Parker and Lucy Greene, Larry Hanson, and the South Georgia Military Affairs Council, and that’s a huge asset,” Perdue said. “I grew up in a military community and believe bases thrive when the community and military work hand in hand. As you know, Moody can trace its continued influence and importance in the Air Force to local community support and outreach. Moody and South Georgia’s continued successes are a direct result of this strong, shared support.”
Perdue’s appointment to the Senate Armed Services Committee continues a tradition of Georgia representation, including former Senator Sam Nunn, who served on the committee during the 1991 BRAC.
“Georgia’s military installations are in a class of their own, and I will continue to do all I can to support and advance their needs in the United States Senate,” Perdue said. “Moody’s mission is clear and critical to protecting Americans and our allies. The units at Moody touch major aspects of overall force readiness and support combat operations around the world—even our strategic mission in space.”
Airman First Class Carlos Quintanilla, left, and Staff Sgt. Tayrell Washington, 74th Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons load team members, secure a Mark 82 general purpose bomb to the bottom of an A-10C Thunderbolt II during Green Flag-West 17-03, Jan. 24, 2017, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Weapons Airmen enabled joint force training during the two-week exercise by loading weapons, inspecting jets and maintaining munitions systems. Some of the live munitions included the Mark 82 and 84 general purpose bombs, high-explosive incendiary 30mm rounds and the 500 pound GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan)
Roll out the Red Carpet
For more than 50 years, members of the South Georgia Red Carpet Committee have shown Moody newcomers true Southern hospitality.
The legendary Red Carpet dinners, which are hosted three to four times a year at Ocean Pond Clubhouse, provide an opportunity for business leaders to welcome Moody personnel and their families to Valdosta and Lowndes County.
“The dinners at Ocean Pond are not only a way to welcome the military, but through the sponsorships, we raise money to help with other projects,” said Ty O’Steen, Red Carpet of South Georgia chairman. “The funds raised go back to Moody in some form or fashion.”
Members of the Red Carpet Committee also volunteer and help to host back-to-school cookouts for children of military members, a Hearts Apart dinner during the holidays, and a variety of events throughout the year to show support for Moody’s airmen and their families.
“Our members also try to attend as many events at Moody that we can,” O’Steen said. “We go to deployment and change of command ceremonies. We want to show that the community supports Moody and their families.”
O’Steen said the group is in the planning process of a new program that will benefit the young single airmen.
“This will be an opportunity for the community to reach out to young airmen,” O’Steen said. “We want them to know we are here for them.”
Georgia’s Military Commitment
With an annual economic impact of almost $20 billion, Georgia ranks fifth in the U.S. for total Department of Defense (DOD) military, civilian direct-hire, reserve, and National Guard employment.
In 2016, the Georgia House of Representative assembled the House Study Committee on Military Affairs. The committee was comprised of 15 state representatives, and six meetings took place across the state. Committee members heard testimony from local officials, military personnel, and other stakeholders regarding Georgia’s nine military installations.
According to the final report, four categories emerged as areas for further assessment and implementation—education, legislative, planning, and infrastructure and encroachment.
Rep. John Corbett (R-Lake Park) served on the military affairs study committee and said that for Moody his area of concern focused on education and quality of life.
“Military families move every few years,” Corbett said. “So the children are constantly moving to a different school and courses may not transfer.”
The committee specifically addressed this issue and made the recommendation for a statewide school choice program for military children.
“Through the school choice program local school systems would allow children of active duty military to attend the school of their choice within the district,” Corbett explained. “This program would also encourage adding additional school counselors to help military children adjust to the school.”
The report also recommended the expansion of STEM and other technical education opportunities near Georgia’s bases, providing access to the HOPE scholarship for reservists and Georgia Guard personnel, and expanding education opportunities through the Veterans Education Grants program to help veterans successfully integrate back into the workforce.
For Moody Corbett said, the committee’s recommendation to improve bandwidth capabilities near military installations is important.
“Limited broadband capabilities is really a rural Georgia issue and does not just impact Moody,” said Corbett. “I think it’s important that the issue has now been brought forward and some light has been shed on the situation to get more attention and develop a solution.”
Hanson, who was invited to testify before both the House Study Committee on Military Affairs and the High-Speed Broadband Access for All Georgians Joint House and Senate Study Committee, agrees that the broadband issue is a necessity and must become available, affordable, and reliable to all Georgians.
“This is a quality of life issue for our military families,” Hanson said. “In some cases, they have service, but it is very costly, not reliable, or poor quality.”
Hanson said the SGMAC is actively addressing the broadband issue, especially as it relates to Moody.
“The SGMAC meets quarterly, and there is never a meeting in which the broadband deficiencies in and around Moody is not discussed,” he said. “We know that for Moody to have the potential to grow and be competitive for additional missions, it is important that we address issues that affect its members and their families.”
The committee also recommended a permanent House Military Affairs Working Group and revitalization of the Georgia Military Affairs Commission under the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
“As a committee, we felt it was important that there is a permanent working committee to stay focused on the recommendations and move them forward,” Corbett said. “Serving on the committee was important for me, and the district I represent, which includes Moody Air Force Base, and I also have the Naval Submarine Base at Kings Bay.”
In joining our community forces, we will create community partnerships for military members, families, and veterans.