HINESVILLE, Ga. (March 31, 2021) – Coastal Georgia, home to Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, is one of five communities across the country named to the 2021 Class of Great American Defense Communities, the Association of Defense Communities (ADC) announced today in conjunction with USAA, the program’s official sponsor. “We are extremely honored to be selected as a 2021 Great American Defense Community,” said Hinesville Mayor Allen Brown, Chairman of the Coastal Georgia Military Affairs Coalition (CGMAC). “The whole region works tirelessly to improve the quality of life and mission effectiveness for over 56,645 military professionals, civilians and family members and the 19,214 retirees who make up Coastal Georgia’s military family.” The communities recognized by the Great American Defense Communities program demonstrate exemplary work in improving the quality of life of military personnel and their families through programs, initiatives and partnerships in their regions. “The strength of our military starts at home in America’s defense communities,” ADC President Joe Driskill said. “We selected Coastal Georgia to be part of the 2021 Class, because they are a region that consistently goes above and beyond to support service members, veterans and military families living in their community.” The 2021 Class also includes Altus, Oklahoma; Everett, Washington; Great Falls, Montana; and the NAS Pensacola & NAS Whiting Field Community.

“It is humbling to be the only Army installation recognized this year as a Great American Defense Community. Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield would not be a seven-time Army Community of Excellence without the existing partnerships we have established throughout Coastal Georgia,” said Col. Bryan Logan, the Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield garrison commander. “This recognition reinforces our outstanding relationship with our communities outside the gate and we look forward to continuing to build upon those relationships at every opportunity.” The Great American Defense Communities program, now in its sixth year, recognizes the role that communities and regions with active installations in the U.S. play in supporting service members and military families. Communities are chosen through a competitive nomination process based on community building and integration, support and collaboration, educational and employment opportunities and family support. This year, diversity and inclusion initiatives and COVID-19 programs were also taken into consideration.

Coastal Georgia is home to Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. These installations help support local communities; and, in turn, local communities help support the installations. Municipalities bordering Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield have formed the Coastal Georgia Military Affairs Coalition (CGMAC), which is a membership-based organization that helps develop and foster state and community partnerships with the U.S. Army to improve the quality of life for soldiers and their families. Over 75,000 military professionals, civilians, families and retirees make up Coastal Georgia’s military family, which contributes $4.9 billion annually to local economies. For more information about the Association of Defense Communities (ADC), visit defensecommunities.org. To learn more about the Coastal Georgia Military Affairs Coalition, follow @CoastalGeorgiaMAC on Facebook.