By SUZANNE DOWNING
July 31, 2026 – Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Thursday announced the creation of the Alaska Military Affairs Office, a new state office intended to strengthen Alaska’s military installations, attract future defense missions, and improve coordination between the armed forces and the communities that support them.
The office will operate within the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and serve as the state’s central coordinating organization for military issues.
“Alaska has never been more strategically important to our nation’s security than it is today,” Dunleavy said. “The creation of the Alaska Military Affairs Office demonstrates our commitment to protecting and expanding our military presence while ensuring our communities, infrastructure, workforce, and industries are prepared to support the missions that defend our nation.”
The governor said the office will help position Alaska for continued military investment and the economic activity that accompanies it.
Alaska sits at the intersection of the Arctic, Indo-Pacific region, and North American homeland. The state’s location, expansive training areas, missile-defense infrastructure, air bases, and proximity to Russia have made it increasingly important to U.S. national security.
As American defense priorities shift toward the Arctic and Indo-Pacific, the new office will coordinate Alaska’s military policies across state agencies and work with federal officials, local governments, Alaska Native organizations, schools, economic-development groups, and private businesses.
The office is being supported through a grant from the Department of War’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation. It will also act as the principal state liaison supporting the Alaska Military Affairs Commission.
Its responsibilities will include advising the governor and state agencies on military matters and defense-related economic development, coordinating long-range infrastructure planning, and developing a statewide strategy to protect existing military missions while competing for future assignments and investment.
The office will also coordinate with Alaska’s congressional delegation and federal agencies on defense priorities affecting the state. Another part of its mission will be improving quality of life for service members and their families, an issue that can affect military retention and decisions about where missions are based.
Maj. Gen. Torrence Saxe, Alaska’s adjutant general and commissioner of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, said military readiness depends in part upon the strength of the surrounding civilian communities.
“Strong military missions depend on strong communities,” Saxe said. “The Alaska Military Affairs Office will strengthen the relationships between our military installations and the communities that support them while helping ensure Alaska remains the premier location for defense investment and military readiness.”
Placing the work under a permanent office gives Alaska a dedicated organization to advocate for federal defense spending, coordinate infrastructure needs, and bring military and civilian partners together.
“Alaska’s future is inseparable from America’s security,” Dunleavy said. “This office ensures that our state is organized, proactive, and united in supporting the service members, families, installations, and communities that make Alaska indispensable to our nation’s defense.”
4 thoughts on “Dunleavy creates Alaska Military Affairs Office to pursue defense investment, strengthen military partnerships”
Creating more government, so we can get more government contracts while we are north of 40 trillion in debt and we pay 20% of all taxes to service the debt. This initiative is delusional.
Good lord. You took the words right out of my mouth brother. Literally!
I was just about to write the same exact thing. We’re 40 trillion in debt but hey, let’s spend!!! I guess that level of debt is not a national security concern. What could go wrong? We’re barely able to pay the interest on the debt.
Not only more government but apparently redundant to DOD services. The goals are so wordsmithed that they apply to nothing and everything at once. Like this one: “ the new office will coordinate Alaska’s military policies across state agencies and work with federal officials, local governments, Alaska Native organizations, schools, economic-development groups, and private businesses.”
OK, so this is far from the first effort to properly position Alaska to assume it’s strategic place in defense investment. There was Alaska Military Force Advocacy and Structure Team (AMFAST) and then Alaska Committee for Analysis and Strategy on Defense (ACAST). I am not sure either fulfilled its promise. Alaska is where it is today because of ad hoc partnerships between Mayors like Luke Hopkins, local economic development corps and congressional delegation staffers seconded by their bosses to stop the military downsizing and bring millions of defense investment. I am referring to congressional staffers Jason S, Mike S. and Lindsay K — yes that one – and some guy named Nate who always seemed to hog the credit. All of this was accomplished without pricey lobbyists or DOD grants, but lots of love for Alaska and the defense mission. I have no idea what the Governor has in mind for this grant. But I can state with some certitude that Alaska has been achieving great outcomes powered by grit, patience and resilience and donated resources. That ain’t just me speaking — its the Association of Defense Communities as well. My own view is that Alaska needs a defense focused John Katz in its DC office, funded entirely by the Legislature. IYKYK