City earns designation from caucus
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on March 2, 2016 1:46 PM
Goldsboro was recently designated as a "Great American Defense Community" on Monday, Feb. 29, by the Association of Defense Communities and the Defense Communities Caucus.
Only 10 communities across the United States received this designation, and the Goldsboro and Wayne County area was the only community to receive the designation in North and South Carolina.
The Goldsboro and Wayne County area was also the only community to receive this designation on the entire eastern seaboard, aside from one community in Florida.
"Prior to taking command here in the summer of 2014, I heard that Seymour Johnson (Air Force Base) enjoyed incredibly strong community support, but I have come to realize over my last 20 months of command that no community could be a better partner or stronger supporter of the mission, the airmen and the airmen's families," said 4th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Mark Slocum. "In my 23 years of service, I have never witnessed such support and commitment from a community."
The Great American Defense Communities program was launched this year, making this the first time ever these designations have been given to communities around the nation.
"All defense communities were invited to submit an application with examples of things they had done to support the military and military families," said Jimmie Edmundson, Friends of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base chairman, who was there when the announcement of the award designations were made at the ADC spring meeting. "So we completed the application and sent it in along with the other communities that felt they were deserving of the award. What happened then was they had a group of people go through the apps and select the ones they felt stood out. When they made the announcement, it was a real short announcement and then the 10 communities met with the defense panel. We will receive the actual award in June."
Edmundson said Goldsboro and Wayne County have the designation as a "Great American Defense Community" for three years, enabling the community to use the ADC logo on signage and other things.
At the end of three years, Goldsboro and Wayne County will be able to reapply for the award.
"It's a pretty big deal and we're very honored by it," Edmundson said. "We've always been very supportive of the base, and it's nice to be recognized for it."
Specific categories on the application that enabled a community to be selected were community building and integration, support and collaboration, education and employment opportunities and family support.
In each of these categories of the application, Goldsboro and Wayne County were able to provide examples that set them apart from other defense communities.
Several examples include the partnership between the city, county and base to develop the P-4 Initiative Multi-Sports Complex, the completion of the local Eastern North Carolina State Veterans Military Cemetery, the leveraging of influence to pass state legislation that ensured secure flight paths for military installations in the state and more.
Communities awarded this designation are being acknowledged for unique contributions the areas make that improve the quality of life for service members, veterans and their families.
Other communities assigned the designation are:
* Colorado Springs, Colo.
* Dayton, Ohio
* Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
* Grand Forks, N.D.
* Lawton, Okla.
* Manhattan, Kan.
* Monterey, Calif.
* Okaloosa County, Fla.
* South Puget Sound, Wash.
This inaugural group of communities that received the designation was selected by a panel of defense community advocates and experts from dozens of nominees for the designation, which factored in the caliber of opportunities that are available to military families in each community in regards to education, job opportunities, housing, family support during deployments and community appreciation.
These communities will be formally recognized at several events throughout the year that will be held in Washington, D.C., including an exhibition and reception at Capitol Hill.
The selected communities will receive the awards on June 20-22 at the annual American Defense Communities conference in Washington, D.C.