Employment

Military members separating or retiring from government service, should contact the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) team. The Transition Assistance Program provides initial and pre-separation counseling (mandatory for military members), and monthly Transition Assistance Program (TAP) seminars.

Active duty, ANG and AFRESERVE military members that are due to separate/retire from military service should contact the Military and Family Readiness at 850-283-2400 to schedule the mandatory initial/pre-separation counseling appointment with a transition assistance counselor. This appointment is a prerequisite to attending a TAP workshop and should be scheduled NLT 365 days before the member's separation/retirement date.

Please call 850-283-2400 or DSN 312-523-2400 for further information on the Transition Assistance Program

Tyndall AFB Tuition Assistance

Active-duty Airmen stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base have access to the Military Tuition Assistance program to help finance their higher education goals. This program is a valuable benefit designed to assist service members in pursuing associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degrees.

Funding Limits & Covered Costs

MilTA provides up to $4,500 per Fiscal Year (October 1 through September 30). The funding caps are structured as follows:

Funding Metric Cap Limit

• Per Semester Hour $250
• Per Quarter Hour $166
• Annual Fiscal Limit $4,500
• Degree Limits 1 Associate, 1 Bachelor's, and 1 Master's degree 

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for tuition assistance, you must maintain good military standing. You are not eligible for TA if you currently have:

• A failed PT test
• A current Unfavorable Information File
• A Referral EPR/OPR
• An active Article 15

Additionally, you must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher for undergraduate degrees across your first 15 semester hours and 3.0 or higher for graduate degrees across 9 semester hours to continue using TA.

Strict Application Timeline

The Air Force enforces strict windows for submitting and getting approval for tuition assistance.

• Earliest TA Request: 45 days prior to class start date
• Latest TA Request: 1 day prior to class start date 

Warning: If supervisor approval is not submitted via the system before the term start date, the TA request is permanently deleted, and you will not receive funding. 

Contact Information

For personalized counseling, degree plan approvals, or general questions, you can contact the Tyndall AFB Force Support Squadron Education Office:

• Location: Force Development Center, 921 Beacon Beach Road, Tyndall AFB, FL 32403
• Phone: 850-283-2295/2295 (DSN: 523-2295)
• Email: 325FSS.FSDE.EducationOffice@us.af.mil  

Military Spouse Education and Career Opportunities

The War Department Office of Spouse Employment introduces SpouseWorks (formerly SECO), marking a new era of career and education support that helps military spouses grow skills, get career advice and find jobs. While the name has changed, the commitment to helping military spouses build meaningful careers remains the same.

SpouseWorks is designed to bring together the trusted career and education support military spouses have come to know through SECO into one clear, connected experience. By unifying career coaching, job opportunities, scholarships, fellowships and educational resources in one place, SpouseWorks makes it easier to access support and navigate every stage of the career journey.

Website: https://spouseworks.militaryonesource.mil/portal/

For more information, contact the Military & Family Readiness Center: 850-283-2400 / DSN 523-2400.

Unemployment for Military Spouses Due to Relocation

Reemployment Assistance benefits, also known as unemployment compensation, provide temporary assistance to qualified people who are out of work through no fault of their own.

Almost all U.S. states allow military spouses to receive unemployment compensation for moving along with their active-duty partner due to PCS orders.

Follow these general steps when filing for unemployment due to your partner's PCS:

• Submit a copy of your spouse's orders with your unemployment paperwork.
• List your spouse's military relocation as the reason why you quit your job on all forms.
• Notify your employer in writing that you are resigning due to your military spouse's relocation.

Most states allow you to resign 30 days before the report date listed on your spouse's orders, so be careful about quitting too early if you plan to file for unemployment.

Filing for Unemployment

You must file for unemployment benefits in the state where you were employed, not the state to which you are relocating.

Once you start receiving unemployment benefits, you are required to register with a local workforce center to show that you are actively looking for a job. Staying active in the job hunt and keeping proof of your efforts will be vital to maintaining unemployment wages.

Employment Assistance Program

If you or your family members are looking to take the next step in your professional journey at Tyndall Air Force Base, the Military and Family Readiness Center is your primary resource hub. The goal of the EAP is to support service members, DoW civilian employees, and their family members (including spouses and dependents) in achieving both short-and long-term employment goals.

M&FRC Support Services include:

• Job Search & Placement: Access to local job boards, career listings, and partnership links with Florida CareerSource Centers. 
• Resume & Interview Prep: Personal assistance with translating military experience to civilian terms, federal resume writing, and interview practice.  

The M&FRC connects spouses with specialized national and local pathways:

• Spouse Education and Career Opportunities: A comprehensive DoW program providing career coaching, resource searches, and employment tracking.  
• My Career Advancement Account: A scholarship program providing up to $4,000 of financial assistance for eligible military spouses pursuing licenses, certificates, or associate degrees.
• Military Spouse Employment Partnership: A portal connecting spouses directly with corporate and federal employers committed to recruiting and retaining military family members.  

(2025) Bay County, Florida Employment Information

Labor Force & Employment: 81,100 Employed       

As of late 2025, Bay County had approximately 81,100 individuals actively employed in covered payroll positions. The labor force participation rate remains strong at 65.6%, which noticeably outperforms the broader state average of 60%. 

Unemployment Rate: 3.4% - 5.2%    

The county experienced seasonal fluctuations throughout the year. The unemployment rate sat at a tight 3.4% in the spring before rising to 5.2% by late autumn as seasonal tourism cooled.

Major Employers & Economic Drivers

Bay County's economy relies heavily on a mix of federal defense spending, tourism, healthcare, and education. 

• Military & Defense: The county's economic bedrock is anchored by its major military installations. Tyndall Air Force Base employs over 6,400 personnel, and Naval Support Activity Panama City (NSA PC) supports nearly 5,000 workers.
• Education & Public Sector: Bay District Schools is one of the county's largest employers with nearly 4,000 staff members. 
• Healthcare: Major medical systems like Bay Medical Sacred Heart (1,800+ employees) and HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital (approx. 700 employees) are primary sources of local high-paying jobs. 
• Industrial & Tech Growth: The local aviation sector is expanding, highlighted by projects such as a major aircraft repair facility poised to bring hundreds of skilled technical jobs to the area.