Proud to Support Our Military
23 BUSINESS MATTERS | SUMMER 2018
The United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce has a longstanding tradition of support for our local military installations and the active duty military personnel , veterans and their families that call our community home . Corpus Christi has been the proud home of Naval Air Station Corpus Christi ( NASCC ) since 1941 and the Corpus Christi Army Depot ( CCAD ) since 1961 . Since then , the Chamber has worked to ensure Corpus Christi is the best place for the Army and Navy to conduct their critical national security missions . We accomplish this by advocating on their behalf in Washington D . C ., and fostering a military-friendly community for them to thrive in .
We work to continue the tradition by participating in events like the Wings Over South Texas Air Show featuring the Blue Angels and our own Salute to the Military , an opportunity to publicly recognize the collaborative efforts made by community business leaders , elected officials and military leaders as we work together to strengthen the military environment in South Texas . This years ’ Salute to the Military , presented by Walmart , will take place July 26 at the Ortiz Center . The Chamber provides the aviator wings for all Winging Ceremonies at NASCC , a tradition that dates back to the early years of Training Air Wing Four , including the wings given to former President George H . W . Bush ; and awards an annual Military Legacy Scholarship to an active duty military personnel member , their spouse , or dependent from the Coastal Bend region .
A crucial aspect of the Chamber ’ s efforts to support our military and ensure the economic prosperity of the Coastal Bend region is through the work of the South Texas Military Facilities Task Force . The Task Force , chaired by Wes Hoskins , President & CEO of First Community Bank and directed by Joe Guzman , is a Chamber mission comprised of a group of community leaders who advocate on behalf of our area military facilities to protect , preserve and expand the military missions of NASCC , CCAD , Coast Guard Sector 6 , and Naval Air Station Kingsville ( NASK ).