"Strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance
Through Base-Hosting Community Leadership Development"
July 22-27, 2023
Tampa Bay was the first stop for this distinguished Japanese group that included city officials and a journalist covering the topic, and World Partnerships was honored to participate in the project opening with the Mr. Victor Duncan, IVLP Program Officer at the US Department of State, Ms. Jennifer Gregg, Project Manager, Global Connections, FHI 360, and Ms. Genesis Fuentes FHI 360 Senior Program Associate. Later in the program, the traditional Federalism Briefing was delivered by Mr. Ramsay McLauchlan, Social Studies and Civics Teacher at Dunedin Highland Middle School, with decades of experience in the American political process.
Tampa Bay was the ideal place to begin this project, given its longtime role as a host community for MacDill Air Force Base, the home of the 6th Air Refueling Wing of the 18th Air Force (USAF), and the headquarters of United States Central Command and United States Special Operations Command. The region is also host to one of the United States Coast Guard Service's largest commands, Sector St. Petersburg. The Tampa Bay community surrounding these important military bases is comprised of a growing defense high tech industry, major Veterans Administration hospitals, and hundreds of thousands of military veterans.
Tampa Bay was the ideal place to begin this project, given its longtime role as a host community for MacDill Air Force Base, the home of the 6th Air Refueling Wing of the 18th Air Force (USAF), and the headquarters of United States Central Command and United States Special Operations Command. The region is also host to one of the United States Coast Guard Service's largest commands, Sector St. Petersburg. The Tampa Bay community surrounding these important military bases is comprised of a growing defense high tech industry, major Veterans Administration hospitals, and hundreds of thousands of military veterans.
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The Honorable Ken Welch, Mayor of St. Petersburg, welcomed the group to his city, and talked about how his administration interacts with the USCGS facility on the waterfront. Joining him for the discussion were Assistant Chief of Police Mike Kovacsev, Ms. Erica Riggins, Public Information Officer, Ms. Celeste Davis, Director, Arts, Culture and Tourism, Mr. David Wirth, Enterprise Facilities Planning Manager (Port of St. Petersburg), and Mr. Jordan "Doyle" Walsh, Chief of Staff to Mayor Welch.
World Partnerships intern Ms. Olivia Olson, also met the delegation and talked about her experience as the 2018-19 City of St. Petersburg Sister Cities Exchange Student with Takamatsu, Japan.
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Mayor Welch, Port Director David Wirth, and Assistant Police Chief Kovacsev.
Olivia Olson with the Japanese delegation.
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To discuss how the Tampa community organizes and manages its relationship with MacDill AFB from traffic to housing to environmental issues and beyond, the Tampa Bay Chamber organized a roundtable discussion with its Military Advisory Committee. Participants included Ms. Kathleen Nestor, Florida Defense Alliance – Family Support Working Group Chair, Brian Butler, Chairman, Tampa Bay Chamber and President & CEO, Vistra Communications, Brigadier General (RET) Chip Diehl, Florida Defense Support Task Force Board Member, MAJ. General (RET) Richard Haddad, Tampa Bay Defense Alliance, Ms.
Katie Lopez, Vice President, Tampa Bay Chamber, Nicholas Glover, Vice President, Tampa Bay Chamber, and Ms. Emily Manco, Program Manager, Tampa Bay Chamber.
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The group had an opportunity for two site visit experiences to round out their visit. Their first stop was MacDill AFB, where were able to visit a major environmental restoration project in the waters of Tampa Bay surrounding the base. Many thanks to Mr. Jason Kirkpatrick, Contractor, Akima Support Operations, LLC, Environmental Element Manager, Ms. Danielle Clooney, Natural and Cultural Resource Manager, Akima Support Operations, LLC, and Ms. Sinead M. Borchert, CIV USAF AMC 6 CES/CEIE for their support in carrying out this meeting.
Their second stop was the St. Pete Innovation District, the professional home to thousands of scientists, doctors, educators and entrepreneurs working together to make life better. Innovation District Executive Director Alison Barlow welcomed the group to the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub (Hub). a shared workspace that brings together under one roof the triple helix of innovation: industry, government, and academia. It takes advantage of the increased need for maritime and national security technology solutions across the State of Florida and the Federal government. Our Japanese visitors were able to compare and contrast their own economic zones with the Hub, and talk with some of the Hub's high tech innovators. |
The HUB, courtesy of the St. Pete Innovation District.
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