Hurricane Michael, a Cat 5 storm fueled by the excessive warmth of the Gulf, destroyed much of Tyndall AFB in Panama City. Most of Florida’s 20 military installations are located on the coast, which makes them vulnerable to rising sea levels and other symptoms of climate change. (Photo via the Florida Air National Guard)
When I was a kid growing up in Pensacola, I played “Army Man” a lot. I’d climb up in the persimmon tree in my backyard and pretend it was my fort. I’d shout “PEW! PEW!” and pretend to repel every kind of invader.
Then I became friends with a classmate named David. He and I and his little brother Doug would prowl around in a REAL fort — the Pensacola Naval Air Station , right on the water…