The Bay Defense Alliance, formed in 1993, is comprised of an all-volunteer, 30-member board and is organized with Air Force, Navy and US Coast Guard teams dedicated to ensuring the long-term stability of missions at Tyndall AFB, Naval Support Activity Panama City and US Coast Guard Station PC.  The Board of Directors includes former senior military and defense civilians, community leaders and economic development partners, including the Bay Economic Development Alliance, Bay County Chamber and Panama City Beaches Chamber of Commerce, Florida State University (Panama City Campus), Gulf Coast State College and the Bay County Board of Commissioners.  The BDA partners with the Florida Defense Alliance, an organization comprised of Florida’s leading community defense support organizations and leverages local support with defense grant programs provided by the Florida Defense Support Task Force (FDSTF), and Florida Commerce.  Local installations generate $3.148 billion in GDP, representing 34.6% of the Bay County economy.  The local community has received more than $10 million in Florida grant funding for projects that add to the military value of the installations.  Like many defense support organizations, BDA was formed with a clear understanding that defense installations benefit from the full support of the communities around them and the ongoing commitments of both military and elected leadership.