Robins Air Force Base reports $4.48 billion economic impact
Base Commander Colonel Johari Hemphill says the base's total economic impact for the 2025 fiscal year was $4.48 billion.
WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Robins Air Force Base leaders say the base’s total economic impact for 2025 was $4.48 billion.
Leaders shared updates, economic impacts and future plans for the base during Thursday’s State of the Base.
Base Commander Col. Johari Hemphill says the impact equates to a payroll of approximately $2.89 billion, which will result in more money for base workers.
“So, not only are we generating money to put in folks’ pockets, but they are putting it back into the community,” Hemphill said. “So, that’s how we drive and get better in Middle Georgia, because we’re paying folks, they’re being able to spend, and we’re also keeping the base functioning by utilizing the services that are out there. There is no way we do what we do without the community.”
According to the base, it saw a 33% increase in expenditures between 2024 and 2025. Col. Hemphill says factors that contributed to that increase were construction for new missions, renovations and increased reliance on locally produced goods and services. He said none of this was possible without local leaders.
“I will tell you every time I take to civic leaders in this community, it’s always what do you need and when do you need it, and they’ve always delivered,” he said. “And so, the relationships matter, that our airmen that are going outside the defense line are doing things in the community, because they live in the community. Then the community is taking care of them in a ways that we need them to. Because only about ten percent of the people that work on the base live on the base, the rest are out in the community. You heard me says out of 159 counties in Georgia, we live in 110 of them, so that’s the big thing.”
Robins increased construction spending by $120 million in 2025. Col. Hemphill explains what he is looking forward to in the future.
“Just continue partnership,” he said. “I just had a meeting with Mayor Patrick and her team and were talking about everything from infrastructure to spouse employment, to education, to childcare. So, Warner Robins is on a path to continue greatness and were a part of that. So, we’re ready and engaged, and are going to partner more and more to see how we can integrate and collaborate, so we can use the resources better, whether that’s people, our money to get things done as projects, not only on the base but off the base.”
