The 1st Special Operations Wing escalated its long-running campaign to address Highway 98 traffic congestion Wednesday, taking the issue directly to a member of Congress at a regional military forum focused on protecting Northwest Florida’s defense economy.

• Col. Clayton Schuety, 1st Special Operations Wing deputy commander, joined Rep. Jimmy Patronis and regional defense advocates at the 3rd Annual Tri-County Military Forum at the University of West Florida Convention Center on May 27 to discuss how off-base community challenges are affecting the wing’s ability to generate combat power.

“The Air Force special operations community has deep roots in Northwest Florida,” Schuety said. “I think it’s important for me to come here today to share these challenges with you, because if we can partner for progress against a shared problem, we can truly see the needle move on some of these issues.”

Schuety identified Highway 98 traffic gridlock and the regional housing deficit as the wing’s most immediate strategic vulnerabilities, citing the highway’s impact on operational responsiveness and a housing market that is pricing military families out of the area.

The forum, presented by the Santa Rosa County Economic Development Office and moderated by Santa Rosa County Commissioner Colton Wright, focused on strategies to keep the region competitive as a defense hub.

Patronis, who represents Florida’s 1st Congressional District, used the forum to highlight H. Res. 5886, also known as the “Warrior Road Act.” The bill, which Patronis introduced, aims to prioritize federal budget allocation for projects deemed essential to national security.

“If we don’t fight for our constituents and if we don’t fight for our industries, if we don’t get in the middle of those conversations, bright, shiner things will get the attention,” Patronis said.

The federal attention follows years of effort by Hurlburt leadership and Okaloosa County officials to address congestion along Highway 98, which serves as the only continuous east-west connection for many airmen who live west of the base. The four-lane road, a Strategic Intermodal System route, is overcapacity between Navarre and Hurlburt Field, and funding to widen it is not imminent.

In October 2025, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties approved an interlocal agreement for a $4 million state-funded “connecting the collectors” study, which will explore linking Okaloosa County’s West 98 Collector road with Santa Rosa County’s Navarre Community Access Road. The proposed corridor would run parallel to and north of Highway 98 and could include a new West Gate entrance into Hurlburt Field.

Schuety framed Wednesday’s discussion as a community issue rather than a strictly military one, pointing to the shared infrastructure connecting Hurlburt personnel and local residents.

• “Our kids are in the same schools, our personnel go to the same churches, and we want to see this community succeed,” Schuety said. “We see this community as a vital part of our national defense, and we’re a part of this community.”

Beyond traffic and housing, the forum addressed the strain regional growth is placing on local pediatrics, mental health and childcare networks, all of which affect military families stationed in the area.

Patronis said the forum was also a learning opportunity for his congressional staff.

“We learn from everybody here in this room,” Patronis said. “My whole team is here. It’s a big deal for me to have them here working the districts, and I want them to understand every nuanced issue that we can advocate for.”

The 1st Special Operations Wing said it is working to align military requirements with federal funding and county zoning efforts by putting readiness metrics directly in front of Florida’s federal and local leaders.

Schuety said solving the region’s capacity issues will require a coordinated effort so the wing can stay focused on the global special operations mission.

“We see ourselves as a really vital and integral part of this community,” Schuety said. “We live here, we work here, and we want to see it grow not only for our own benefit, but the benefit of everyone that calls Northwest Florida home.”