Naval Air Station Key West Commanding Officer Captain Colin Thompson joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about the station.
The strong relationship between the Navy and the Florida Keys community is one of the things that makes our area special, and that’s so important as the nation pauses to recognize veterans on Veterans Day.
Thompson, who took command of NAS Key West on May 30, 2025, has spent the past year and a half building relationships throughout the community and has already decided where he wants to spend his retirement.
“My intentions are, once this tour is over, is to retire and stay here. That’s how much I love it,” Thompson said.
Thompson said the community’s patriotism and support for military personnel have made a lasting impression on him.
He recently attended a Veterans Day-related ceremony at Horace O’Bryant School, where he spoke to Monroe County School District Superintendent Ed Tierney.
“I relayed to him that I can’t remember in grade school ever having something like that,” Thompson said. “His comment back to me was this is the most patriotic town that we’ve ever lived in, and I fully agree with that.”
Thompson said the community’s support is a major reason he has become involved in local organizations, including Rotary.
“The support that we get from this community is truly amazing. And that’s why I’m staying. That’s why I try to get involved. That’s why I joined Rotary and I try to get out there as much as I can because this community gives us so much, and so the least I could do is give something back,” he said.
As part of Veterans Day observances, Thompson is scheduled to attend a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial in Bayview Park at 11 a.m. Other events throughout the Florida Keys included a Veterans Day parade along Duval Street in Key West at 4 p.m.
The Navy has maintained a presence in Key West for more than 200 years, predating the establishment of the city itself.
Thompson noted that the Navy established its first permanent presence in Key West in 1823, while the city was not established until 1828.
“We literally have been in Key West longer than the city of Key West has existed,” he said.
The installation also has a long aviation history. Navy aircraft have been flying in the Key West area since 1917, beginning at Trumbo Point.
“We’re number two on that list of we’ve been flying airplanes for over 100 years here in Key West,” Thompson said, noting that only Naval Air Station Pensacola has a longer aviation history.
That history continues today, with NAS Key West serving as an important training location for Navy pilots.
The installation has two permanently stationed squadrons, including a search-and-rescue helicopter squadron and VFC-111, the Sundowners, which fly F-5N Tiger II aircraft in an adversary training role.
The base also hosts fleet replacement squadrons that train pilots on the F/A-18 Super Hornet.
Thompson said the airfield has been closed to jet operations since the middle of October as crews work on runway improvements, including repaving the approach ends and the intersection of all three runways.
He expects the installation to become considerably busier next year, with multiple carrier air wings scheduled to visit. Those deployments could bring more than 100 aircraft to the area at a time.
“That’s good for business, good for NAS Key West, and really you can’t beat it,” Thompson said.
One of the installation’s biggest advantages is its access to approximately 27,000 square miles of unencumbered airspace, which is controlled by NAS Key West air traffic controllers.
Thompson said the airspace is a major reason military squadrons travel to the Keys for training.
“When they come down here, they get the first right of refusal for whatever airspace they want to go to,” he said. “It’s not like that if they go off Virginia, off the coast of Virginia, there’s multiple squadrons, multiple aircraft trying to get in there, but they come down here, and the airspace is solely dedicated just to them.”
He added that the area’s weather and attractions are also appealing, but the training environment is what makes the installation particularly valuable.
Thompson also discussed recent visits by senior Navy officials, including Vice Admiral Brad Collins, commander of Navy Installations Command, and Rear Admiral Jeff Hills, commander of Navy Region Southeast.
Collins oversees all 71 Navy installations worldwide, while Hills is responsible for 18 installations across the southeastern United States and Guantanamo Bay.
Thompson said Collins’ visit was particularly significant because he had only recently taken over the position and Key West was among his first destinations.
“He understands the challenges that we have down here and wanted to get eyes on,” Thompson said.
During the visit, Navy officials met with local leaders to discuss issues affecting both the military and the surrounding community.
Thompson said the cost of living and housing were among the primary concerns.
“We’re all struggling with the same things, right? The cost of living, the cost of housing, the prices, and so it’s how can we help each other,” he said.
He called the visit an opportunity to showcase both the installation and the sailors who serve there.
Thompson also recognized three NAS Key West sailors who recently received annual honors.
Air Traffic Controller Third Class Dominic McCall was named Blue Jacket of the Year, Boatswain’s Mate Second Class Tyler Fleeg was named Junior Sailor of the Year, and Navy Career Counselor First Class Michelle Bowie was named Sailor of the Year.
Bowie also received recognition as the Fiscal Year 2026 Navy Region Southeast Career Counselor of the Year, an honor recognizing her accomplishments across all 18 installations in the region.
Thompson said the community’s Military Affairs Committee regularly recognizes Sailors of the Year and Sailors of the Quarter, providing military personnel with recognition beyond the installation.
“For these sailors to be able to get recognition from their community, when again I’ve been in the Navy 29 years and I’ve never seen a community that does this before,” Thompson said.
He praised all three sailors for going above and beyond in their duties.
“They go above and beyond every day. And it’s certainly an honor to work with each of them,” he said.
Thompson’s 29-year Navy career has taken him to numerous assignments, including Japan and Hawaii.
He recalled being stationed aboard the USS George Washington in Yokosuka, Japan, when the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck in 2011, triggering the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Thompson said the crew felt the effects of the tsunami while aboard the ship.
“It was like we felt it when we were on the ship, and then all the water got sucked out of the harbor, and then all the water came back, and then our ship was completely torn apart at the time,” he said.
The crew worked to restore the ship, getting underway again within a week.
Thompson said the situation was particularly uncertain because personnel did not know how severe the disaster would become or whether they would be returning to Japan.
“We packed everything up, but, you know, birth certificates, all that stuff, because we weren’t sure we were coming back because we didn’t know how bad it was going to be,” he said.
Despite his extensive travels and assignments, Thompson said Key West has become home.
He joked that he made a proclamation when he took command that the installation would not experience a hurricane during his tour, adding that the command was two-thirds of the way through that commitment.
And while his military career began in his native New Hampshire, he said he has no plans to return there permanently.
“I was back there in April, and it was the first week of April, and it was snowing,” Thompson said. “And I said, ‘This is why I joined the Navy at 18.'”
He said he has found the place where he wants to spend the rest of his life.
“I am at the place that I plan on staying for the rest of my life,” Thompson said. “So absolutely, I love it down here.”