If Norfolk was looking to switch its city motto, “Norfolk: Our City Can Kick Your City’s Butt” would be a fitting—and probably true—statement.
See, Norfolk is home to the largest Naval base in the world.
Yes, the world. In fact, based on supported military population, the Norfolk area is home to the largest military station in the world.
There are some 108,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel stationed in the greater Norfolk area, and the Navy employs more than 41,000 civilians. Including retired military and dependants, the total Hampton Roads Navy community numbers some 318,000 people.
Yeah, we’re hardcore here in Norfolk.
The benefits of the presence of the Navy—and of the other branches of the military, which are all represented in the region–can’t be underestimated. The most obvious positive is what it does to the local economy. All told, every year the military pumps over $11 billion into the local economy. That’s a large reason that Norfolk’s economy (read: jobs) is one of the most stable in the country.
Given that military spending won’t be trending downward anytime soon, Norfolk can expect to keep its financial ship steady long into the future.
The benefits of the Naval presence go far beyond dollars and sails. Many Norfologists that walk among us are, plain and simple, heroes. It feels good to live among the soldiers and military personnel who don’t just talk about loving America, but who put their lives on the line to prove it.
Here’s a better motto: “Norfolk: We Keep America Safe.”