HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Team Hurlburt partnered with Okaloosa County School District and Mayroad to host a town hall for military members and their families at the Soundside Club, Hurlburt Field, Florida, Jan. 22, 2026.
The town hall focused on informing the base community, providing resources and sharing updates regarding potential school closures and privatized military housing initiatives.
John Spolski, OCSD assistant school superintendent, and Duscha Ross, OCSD program director, spoke about the potential closures of Longwood and Mary Esther Elementary Schools and rezoning the south end of Okaloosa County to support long-term financial health of the school district.
“The Air Force considers local school partnerships and integration as a major factor in how we address quality of service as it directly impacts readiness and retention,” said Col. Mark Hamilton, 1st Special Operations Wing commander. “Conversations such as this, reflect our commitment to engaging our community with transparency and create opportunities for open communication.”
The discussion sought to reassure impacted families by opening the floor for questions and offering guidance to help them navigate the transition.
Attendees were encouraged to direct any additional questions or concerns regarding their children’s education to the OCSD via email, or through Mackinley Cross, Hurlburt Field’s military school liaison.
Following the school discussions, Lt. Col. Phil Compton, 1 SOW civil engineer commander, addressed issues and innovations in Hurlburt Field’s military privatized housing including HVAC renovations and the planned demolition of homes located in the Live Oak neighborhood.
“Our long-term goal is to eliminate our current housing deficit, which directly supports mission readiness,” said Jon Mizell, 1 SOW mission support deputy director. “Removing the deteriorating Live Oak neighborhood is the critical first step. It clears the path for future development and signals our unwavering commitment to providing unsurpassed quality of life for our Airmen and their families.”
The Live Oak neighborhood, originally built in 1976, is no longer considered viable with 65 of the 100 units taken out of service. Residents living in this neighborhood will be required to relocate by Dec. 31, 2026, and once all families have been relocated, demolition will be scheduled.
“We are committed to a seamless transition for every affected family,” said Mizell. “Our privatized housing partner, Mayroad, is leading this effort, with our military housing office providing direct support.”
All displaced residents will receive a government-funded move and priority placement on the Mayroad housing waitlist, ensuring they have first selection within their rank and bedroom entitlement for homes on base.
“Our goal is to maximize mission readiness by driving a culture that ensures military members and their families live in safe, healthy and secure residences,” said Robyn Adams, 1 SOW privatized housing advocate.
Additionally, the mission support team is actively working to renovate HVAC systems in all on-base homes to ensure quality and safety. While a definitive completion date has not been established, they are continuing to work deliberately to care for military families.
The town hall provided Team Hurlburt and community leaders with the opportunity to connect and express transparency on issues and changes occurring on and off base that may affect Air Commandos and their families.
If you have questions regarding base housing, please reach out to your privatized housing advocate or a Mayroad representative.
If you have questions regarding the potential school closures, please email southendzone@okalooaschools.com.