PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Congressman Jimmy Patronis is pushing back against the Department of the Air Force. The 492nd Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt and Duke fields is set to relocate to Arizona.
Patronis penned a letter to the agency questioning the decision. Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody also signed the letter.
Arizona was announced as a preferred location back in August 2023.
Patronis says the nation's growing tensions in the Caribbean are a cause for concern when it comes to moving Special Forces units. He says it's a decision that not only impacts servicemembers but also their families.
Patronis and state senators are pushing to keep Special Forces in Florida. The 492nd Special Operations Wing works out of Hurlburt Field and Duke Field.
In 2023, the Air Force announced plans to relocate several units to the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. The move is shifting 600 jobs to a new home.
"This was a Biden-era decision back in 2023," Patronis said. "And what I'm questioning is, is a Biden-era decision back with a totally different global environment that we have right now. Is this the right decision?"
Patronis sent the letter to the Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink and the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth regarding the decision.
According to the Air Force, the relocation aims to "prioritize mission effectiveness" and "cost efficiency." The congressman's letter says moving the command is the opposite of enhancing national security.
Patronis says there's several unanswered questions when it comes to this decision. One being the cost.
"Relocating this mission and building a whole bunch of new hangars out in Arizona, is that the best use of the taxpayers dollar to accommodate the movement of this mission? I don't know," Patronis said. "You know, but I'd like to know what's it going to cost to do that."
The letter is spelling out several questions like, what's the rationale for moving these units and what other bases were considered?
In September, Patronis told WEAR News he would discuss the relocation with the secretary of the Air Force. That conversation never happened due to the recent government shutdown.
Patronis says he's focused on getting answers before any further action.
"Transparency of information is just really the biggest thing I want to see get to the bottom of," said Patronis. "Let's get those questions answered and I think a lot of times the questions being answered will then create a a process of elimination of this is the right decision."
According to the letter, Patronis and the senators are expecting a response within 30 days.