On December 16, the Chamber’s Military Advisory Committee met to continue its work supporting veterans and strengthening Charleston’s position as a preferred destination for military personnel and their families. The committee serves as a key advocate for the Charleston Metro area military community and plays an important role in aligning military priorities with regional economic and workforce goals.

As part of its ongoing commitment, the Military Advisory Committee identified several goal areas that will guide its work:

• Launching a Veterans Resource Guide website in 2026 to provide centralized access to services and information
• Promoting the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood Plus Program to support military families
• Supporting and collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs to advance statewide veteran initiatives

Together, these priorities reinforce the committee’s mission to make Charleston a premiere location for veterans while supporting long-term regional competitiveness.

To enhance mission readiness and increase awareness of the region’s military missions, Military Advisory Committee members and Chamber Board members were invited to attend a Senior Military Officer Forum hosted by the Chamber.

Captain Matthew O’Neal, Commanding Officer of Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic shared firsthand insights into NIWC Atlantic’s mission and highlighted the transformative economic and workforce impact made at the local, state and national levels.

NIWC Atlantic is a major driver of economic activity and high-wage employment in the Charleston region. In Fiscal Year 2025, NIWC Atlantic generated a $10 billion impact on the U.S. economy, including a $2.1 billion impact within South Carolina. The command also maintains strong relationships with small businesses, which supported approximately 40% of NIWC’s contract obligations.

Further illustrating its importance to the state, NIWC Atlantic employs 3,207 civilians and supports a highly skilled workforce. Average compensation is approximately $120,000, which is 65% higher than the statewide average. Notably, 40% of NIWC’s workforce are prior military, including 20% who are disabled veterans, underscoring the organization’s role in veteran employment and workforce transition.

In addition to workforce size and experience, NIWC Atlantic represents a significant concentration of technical talent in the region, employing nearly 89% of all electronic engineers in the Charleston region. Across the organization, expertise is deep and varied: 22% have information technology backgrounds, 31.5% have engineering backgrounds and 16.8% have mathematical science backgrounds. Such diversity is essential for supporting modern information warfare operations.

To maintain this depth of expertise and sustain mission readiness, NIWC Atlantic must continue to attract and retain a highly skilled workforce. During the forum, challenges related to locality pay were highlighted as a factor affecting Charleston’s competitiveness in recruiting top talent from across the country.

Through the work of the Military Advisory Committee and engagement opportunities like the Senior Military Officer Forum, the Chamber continues to strengthen collaboration between the military community, policymakers and regional leaders. These efforts support mission readiness, economic growth and the Charleston region’s long-term position as a hub for military innovation, advanced talent and veteran opportunity.

If you would like to become more involved with the Chamber’s military affairs work, please contact me at dbrown@charlestonchamber.org.