7TH SPECIAL FORCES GETTING READY TO MOVE

The following is a recent news release from Ft. Bragg noting the meeting with local representatives from Okaloosa County. Points of interest are, (1) The home selling market at Ft Bragg is strong, (2) The present home buying market in Okaloosa County is strong, but this will not last long, (3) The folks from the Army are able to move now and it is recommended they make the move now, as the supply of homes will be drastically reduce, which will cause prices to rise. SUPPLY AND DEMAND. Just a note again to my readers, with all of this Army activity; we still have the thousands of military personnel, who are normally transferring during the summer, the growth of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Training Program, the reduction of military housing, and much, much, more. THE POINT I AM TRYING TO CONVEY. WE NEED BANKERS, DEVELOPERS, AND BUILDERS WORKING TOGETHER TO ACCOMODATE THIS ENORMOUS NEED FOR HOUSING OUR MILITARY AND SUPPORTING CAST IN OUR AREA NOW !!!!!!!!

RELEASE NUMBER: 100517-03DATE POSTED: MAY 17, 2010
7th SFG (A) Soldiers prepare for PCS during BRAC town hall meeting

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, May 17, 2010) – For the approximately 2200 Soldiers of 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), a PCS move from Fort Bragg to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is on the horizon.

A 7th Special Forces Group Soldier and his family learn about homes in Walton County from a local expert during the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) town hall meeting in Fayetteville, NC, May 12. (Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Daniel Love)
In order to alleviate the common stresses of moving 620 miles for the Soldiers and families, leaders from 7th SFG(A) and Eglin Air Force Base held a town hall meeting at the Crown Expo Center in Fayetteville to answer some of Soldiers' nagging questions.
Approximately 60 representatives from the Northwest Florida area were in attendance, including city mayors and representatives from Eglin Air Force Base garrison command.
Soldiers and families were given the opportunity to learn about Eglin area employment, education, healthcare, housing and recreation from people who live there.
“The Eglin community has gone above and beyond in opening their arms to 7th Special Forces Group and welcoming us,” said Col. James Kraft, the 7th SFG (A) commander. “You may have experienced a PCS in the past where the Army just gave you a copy of your orders, the number for movers, and an out-processing checklist. This will not be one of those moves.”

Command Sgt. Maj. William Zaiser, the 7th Special Forces Group command sergeant major, answers questions during an open forum during the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) town hall meeting in Fayetteville, NC, May 12. For most Soldiers, the main question remaining is when homes should be bought and sold. “We're lucky enough to be in a situation where Fort Bragg is a seller's market and Eglin is a buyer's market,” said Command Sgt. Maj. William Zaiser, 7th SFG (A) CSM. “With the right preparation and time invested, selling your house should not be a problem.” With thousands more Soldiers of Forces Command and Reserve Command moving to Fort Bragg in the very near future, also as part of the Base Realignment and Closure plan, leaders predict the housing market will stay very strong at the least in the Fayetteville area.
Though the move promises to bring challenges, the 7th SFG (A) leaders said the work is worth the reward. “The CSM and I had the opportunity to go to Eglin a few months ago, and I can tell you the facilities are absolutely world-class,” said Kraft. “It's something 7th SFG (A) has been due for quite some time, and frankly, something the entire community can be envious of.”
Currently under construction, the 7th SFG (A) compound at Eglin features more room and better facilities than their current space in Fort Bragg. The state-of-the-art buildings and ranges were co-designed by special operators to fill the needs of today's ever-growing Special Forces mission.