US Army 6th Rangers Training Battalion Hosts Secretary of Defense at Camp Rudder

The US Army 6th Ranger Training Battalion at Camp Rudder hosted a brief visit by Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates recently. As always, the Rangers lived up to their reputation as great hosts. During the visit, they presented Secretary Gates with a Ranger walking stick and a hat. Camp Rudder’s “swamp” is the final stage of Ranger training. To non-military, the camp is little known. It is located in an isolated portion of the massive Eglin Air Force Base and is not seen by the casual motorist except for a small sign posted along Beal Street on the north end of Fort Walton Beach.

However, to our area residents, Camp Rudder has become recognized for its public open house events where visitors get to learn how our Rangers operate in extreme conditions. The open house events display dive equipment and weapons, as well as see demonstrations of hand-to-hand combat and parachute jumps. Recently the Rangers hosted their “Wives Swamp Walk” (July 31, 2010) complete with snake show, rope bridge and hoist demonstration, and a boat movement in Zodiacs.

If you can’t wait until one of their annual open houses, you might enjoy our area’s terrain in a more “tailored” venue. Northwest Florida has nearly 1.5 million acres of state- and federally-protected land. Though these preserves are not tame, they do offer advantages of boardwalks, kayaks and inner tubes, and picnic grounds.

(Photo: U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

The Military Economy in Northwest Florida

I went to a great meeting last week in Navarre. It was for Realtors and affiliated businesses, and the focus was on the military economy in Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton Counties. For anyone who lives here, we know it has a great impact. The Eglin range is the largest military base in the world, and I found out that it has a $7 Billion yearly impact on the area. There are 31,000 military jobs and 25,000 defense related jobs. We have 18,000 retired military people here and 63,000 veterans.


And, more people are coming! The elite Army 7th Special Forces are moving here from Ft. Bragg next year, and we are also getting the new F-35 to Eglin. Hurlburt is also gaining some positions over the next year or two as well.

From my point of view as a real estate broker (and owner of a company since 1981), we should always be mindful of not only the military presence, but also the special needs of military families. They move around a lot; their spouses are gone for months at a time (sometimes the family has no idea where they are). It's an emotional rollercoaster for many. Thanks to each and every one of you.

Gloria Frazier
Broker/President

Join us at the Eglin AFB Air Show

2010 Air Show Dates: April 10-11

ERA American Realty is proud to be one of the sponsors this year. Look for our table. We will be handing out 3,000 American flags. We can't get enough of that wonderful flag. If you're local, you know that each year on Independence Day we place around 40,000 flags along our community streets. It's a logistical challenge but we love to do it - and have done so for over 18 years. We will have photographers at the air show to get some good shots. If you can't make the air show, stop back by this blog to see photos of the event.

One of the many blessings we enjoy here on the Emerald Coast is the presence of our military. Our area is home to several military installations. Two of our offices are located just outside Eglin Air Force Base. In fact, our Shalimar office is only a mile or so outside the main gate, so we get to hear the "Sound of Freedom" often.

For those who like to know stats, Eglin Air Force Base is the largest land mass air force base in the free world. The Eglin Range covers 724 square miles of land and occupies much of the Northwest Florida panhandle. This year they are celebrating their 75th Anniversary (Eglin AFB Video).

Each year they host a spectacular air show with an assortment of aircraft from various decades, as well as a breath-taking demonstration by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. We expect this year will be their best as they recognize "75 Years of Eglin Pride".

Eglin AFB opens their gates to air show visitors exactly at 9 a.m. They will close their gates to air show arrivals at 3 p.m. It is best to arrive between those times. If this is your first year at the air show, be aware that trying to get an edge in by arriving early... well, not good. Any early air show arrivals before 9 a.m. will only be asked to wait or be directed away to keep traffic moving.

Air show schedule

If you can't work a full day at the air show, block in a couple hours either Saturday or Sunday, April 10-11, 1-3 pm for the Florida Open House. The Emerald Coast Association of Realtors are joining in with this national open house and are opening doors to local listings. We will have 35 houses open for viewing just from our company alone. To view new listings daily as they come on the market, visit Today's New Florida Real Estate Listings.

ERA American releases 'PCS to Destin Coast Guard Station' page

Looking to PCS to Destin Coast Guard Station?

ERA American Realty of Northwest Florida recently released our new 'PCS to Destin Coast Guard Station' page in the Northwest Florida PCS and Military Relocation area of our website.

The new page offers history on Destin Coast Guard Station, information on PCSing to Destin Coast Guard Station, links to the station, and links to search homes and real estate by Destin Coast Guard Station.

Destin Coast Guard Station joins several Northwest Florida military bases ERA American helps consumers PCS to. Others include: Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, Duke Field, Camp Rudder, Pensacola Naval Air Station and Whiting Field Naval Air Station (pages coming soon).

Contact ERA American for all your PCS and Northwest Florida Military Relocation needs, or to search homes near Eglin AFB, Duke Field, Hurlburt Field, Camp Rudder, Pensacola NAS, Whiting Field NAS or Destin Coast Guard Station.

Deston homes for sale near Eglin Air Force Base

ERA American Realty of Northwest Florida recently released its 'Destin homes for sale near Eglin Air Force Base' community profile page.

Destin, Florida is located just south of Eglin AFB, directly between Fort Walton Beach and Miramar Beach, two Florida Panhandle tourist destinations. Destin is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico to its south and Choctawhatchee Bay to its north.

With a 15 mile drive from its Shalimar entrance, Destin is further from Eglin AFB than other communities many of those stationed at Eglin AFB PCS to, like Shalimar, Valparaiso, Niceville and Fort Walton Beach. But Destin offers many desirable and waterfront homes and real estate for sale in the general Eglin AFB homes for sale region.

Visit ERA American's 'Destin homes by Eglin AFB' page for more information.

More 'homes near Eglin AFB' community pages to come

Last week, ERA American Realty of Northwest Florida released profile pages on four communities in the Florida panhandle that offer homes for sale by Eglin Air Force Base. Those included:

• Shalimar homes near Eglin AFB
• Fort Walton Beach homes near Eglin AFB
• Valparaiso homes near Eglin AFB
• Niceville homes near Eglin AFB

ERA American will be releasing several more profile pages in the coming week of communities with homes and real estate by Eglin AFB.

Check back the Florida Military Relocation blog for more information on all Eglin Air Force Base homes and real estate information, in addition to PCS information for Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field, Duke Field, Camp Rudder, Destin Coast Guard Station, Whiting Field NAS and Pensacola NAS.

ERA American releases 'Valparaiso homes near Eglin AFB' page

ERA American Realty of Northwest Florida just released our new Valparaiso homes for sale near Eglin Air Force Base page.

We previously released Eglin AFB homes for sale pages for Niceville, Shalimar and Fort Walton Beach.

Eglin Air Force Base was originally formed in Valparaiso, and much of the city is still located on Eglin AFB. Around 500 of Valparaiso's residents actually live on the base.

Check back to the Florida Military Relocation blog for more information on PCSing to Northwest Florida, or see our community profiles for: Fort Walton Beach, Niceville and Shalimar.