Today, US military personnel at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, are undergoing a mandatory evacuation in anticipation of Hurricane Milton. The evacuation order, shared on the base's Facebook page, requires personnel residing in multiple locations to evacuate by 4 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
MacDill, situated less than 10 miles from downtown Tampa, is home to the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). In response to the impending storm, key personnel from these commands are being relocated to alternate locations to ensure operational continuity.
Col. Allie Weiskopf, a spokesperson for the US Special Operations Command, emphasized the priority of ensuring the safety of personnel and their families during the evacuation process. Similarly, CENTCOM personnel are adhering to the evacuation order and will be operating from alternate locations.
As Hurricane Milton is projected to make landfall on Florida's gulf coast on Wednesday, preparations are underway for response and recovery efforts. Approximately 185 MacDill personnel will be stationed at an Emergency Operations Center/Crisis Action Team located at Raymond James Stadium.
Furthermore, aircraft such as KC-135 tankers and F-16 fighter jets in Florida are being relocated to safer areas. In addition to the evacuation of MacDill Air Force Base, active-duty forces from US Army North, along with helicopters and high-water vehicles, have been mobilized to support recovery and response operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
