BY JOHN R. CAPRA 

A strong military presence is critical to our state and nation as a whole.

- Mayport Naval Station, at approximately 3,400 acres, is currently the third largest Navy facility in the continental U.S. It is the home to 80 tenant commands, including 22 ships and 6 helicopter squadrons, and is an extraordinary asset to our community.

- Northeast Florida recently lost the economic and security benefits of the aircraft carrier USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67).  It is my goal to ensure that Mayport continues to serve as home port for a Navy aircraft carrier, not just for the economic impact to the area, but for national security reasons.  While doing so would require facilities upgrades, the economic impact would be significant, around 3 billion dollars, in areas such as employment, housing and new residential spending.

- With my experience as a naval officer, I believe I will be the best representative to work with the U.S. Navy on meeting the needs of the community.  As a member of the Florida legislature representing such a large Navy presence, I will be able to lend a much-needed voice to the area's concerns.

- In addition to the active duty presence, the district is home to a large contingent of military veterans and their families.  As their Representative, I will continue to push for services and facilities that are critical to the military community.

- I support the following legislative initiatives aimed at our military, past, present and future:

o Decorated Combat Vets repayment of student loans: active or honorably discharged veterans awarded a Purple Heart or superior combat decoration would have their undergraduate student loans repaid in full by the Department of Education.

o ROTC/Military Recruiters:  school districts and public secondary schools would be prohibited from having policies that prevent maintaining or establishing a ROTC, students from enrolling in a ROTC unit at another school, and recruiters having same access to students as post-secondary educational institutions or prospective employers.

o Affordable Housing for Veterans: Provides a $20 million loan through the Florida Homeownership Assistance Program to assist honorably discharged veterans in purchasing their first home.