Navy Shore Boss Visits NAS Key West, Highlights Housing and Partnerships
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DVIDS - GeorgiaThe trip marked Collins’ first visit to the southernmost air station since assuming command of the Navy’s Shore Enterprise from Vice Adm. Scott Gray on Sept. 24, 2026.
Accompanied by NAS Key West Commanding Officer Capt. Colin Thompson, Collins toured installation facilities and observed firsthand the progress resulting from the Navy’s approximately $67 million fiscal year 2026 investment to modernize military housing and critical infrastructure across the Southeast region. Through sustained oversight and collaboration with public-private venture partner Balfour Beatty Communities, 111 family homes at Sigsbee Park have been renovated using recapitalization funds, with an additional 72 homes pending renovation.
In addition to family housing, Collins toured NAS Key West’s newly renovated unaccompanied housing barracks and the upgraded Beachside Grill and Recreation Center, underscoring CNIC’s broader commitment to improving single Sailor living standards, resilience, and morale.
“Ready, resilient Sailors and families are the foundation of our Navy’s operational advantage,” said Collins. “Investments in housing, barracks, and community spaces demonstrate our commitment to delivering the shore infrastructure and support our people need to serve and succeed.”
Strengthening partnerships across the Florida Keys was a cornerstone of the visit, highlighted by separate meetings with Key West Mayor Sam Kaufman and Monroe County Commissioner Jim Scholl. Scholl also serves as a member of the Florida Defense Support Commission and is a former commanding officer of NAS Key West.
During their meeting, Kaufman, Collins, and Thompson affirmed their shared commitment to sustaining a more than 200-year partnership through open dialogue, mutual respect, and practical coordination on issues affecting both the installation and the community. During his meeting with Scholl, Collins discussed intergovernmental defense cooperation, regional housing solutions, and state-level advocacy for service members and their families in the Keys. The discussion drew upon Scholl’s perspective as both an elected county leader and former NAS Key West commanding officer.
“The investments our Sailors and families see across NAS Key West have a direct effect on their daily quality of life and on our ability to execute the mission,” said Thompson. “Our enduring relationships with city, county, and state partners help us address shared challenges and remain a strong, responsive neighbor in the Florida Keys.”
To highlight the installation’s strategic operational value, Collins also met with leadership at Joint Interagency Task Force South, a major tenant command aboard NAS Key West. They discussed how resilient shore infrastructure enables joint, interagency, and international maritime security operations throughout the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
“NAS Key West is a critical platform for projecting maritime readiness and supporting partners across the region,” said Collins. “The installation’s people, infrastructure, and enduring relationships enable the joint and interagency missions that help safeguard our shared maritime approaches.”
NAS Key West is a state-of-the-art facility supporting combat fighter aircraft from all military services. The installation provides world-class pierside support to U.S. and foreign naval vessels and serves as a premier training center for surface and subsurface military operations.
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