Leaders from across San Antonio’s military, business and civic community gathered recently at the Greater San Antonio Chamber’s Military Affairs Council meeting to discuss strategies for protecting and growing the region’s military missions.
During the discussion, Greater San Antonio Chamber President and CEO Jeff Webster reflected on the lessons learned from the closure of Kelly Air Force Base in 1995 — a turning point that reshaped how local leaders approach military advocacy. Webster recalled that he had been only weeks into his first term on the San Antonio City Council when the closure was announced, forcing local leaders to quickly focus on repurposing the base and strengthening efforts to retain and expand the city’s remaining military missions.
In the mid-2000s, the city formalized those efforts with the creation of the Military Transformation Task Force (MTTF), a partnership among the City of San Antonio, Bexar County, and the Greater San Antonio Chamber focused on strengthening the region’s role as a national defense hub. Today, Webster serves as one of the tri-chairs of the MTTF alongside San Antonio City Councilwoman Misty Spears and Bexar County Commissioner Grant Moody.
The three leaders joined Maj. Gen. Juan Ayala (Ret.), Director of the City of San Antonio’s Military and Veteran Affairs Department, to discuss how the task force works to coordinate communication between military installations and civilian leaders, support mission readiness, and advocate for San Antonio’s interests at the state and federal levels.
“The world belongs to those who show up,” Moody said. “The MTTF is showing up and advocating for Joint Base San Antonio and our active-duty personnel and veterans. We’re championing the $151 billion economic impact of Texas’ military installations — with more than one-third of that output being generated by JBSA. We have to protect and foster our military relationships because they are so important to the success of our community.”
San Antonio’s military footprint is a significant economic driver, generating about $55 billion in economic activity annually. The military is the region’s largest employer, supporting more than 240,000 direct and indirect jobs connected to Joint Base San Antonio and its missions.
The task force’s work comes at a pivotal moment for the region’s military community. Recent Department of Defense restructuring plans will merge Army North and Army South headquarters into a single Western Hemisphere Command based at Fort Bragg — a move expected to affect jobs and military missions in the San Antonio area.
“The relocation decision should serve as a wake-up call,” Spears said, urging local leaders to work together to retain and recruit new defense opportunities while protecting the economic stability tied to the region’s defense workforce.
The MTTF is advocating for new missions by promoting San Antonio’s strengths in military medicine, cybersecurity, and aerospace research. Local leaders will carry that message to Washington, D.C., later this month during SA to DC, the Greater Chamber’s federal advocacy mission.
“We want to be sure JBSA feels the support of the community,” Webster said. “Our message to federal leaders is simple: this is critical to our economy and our citizens, and we need their help to protect and grow these missions.”
San Antonio has maintained and expanded its military footprint in part because of strong community support and public investment. The city has invested more than $140 million in infrastructure and support projects to protect and grow military missions, including land conservation around training areas and improvements to base infrastructure. Those efforts have helped ensure the city has not lost any major military installations in the past two decades, reinforcing its reputation as “Military City USA®.”
“There probably won’t be a BRAC again,” Moody said. “But the government will continue looking for ways to reduce costs and realign structures within the Department of Defense. We always have to stay vigilant because those decisions could affect us.”
Ayala closed the discussion by recalling advice from an elected official from Hawaii who once said the only communities that lose military commands are those that lack the political will to keep them.
San Antonio, he said, has demonstrated that will through the collaborative work of the Military Transformation Task Force.