Executive Order No. 38: Strengthening North Carolina Military Communities

May 27, 2026

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 38

STRENGTHENING NORTH CAROLINA MILITARY COMMUNITIES

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (“DMVA”) was established in September 2015 with the mission of supporting the uniformed military, including active, guard, and reserve, and their families as well as installations, organizations, operational readiness, and surrounding communities; and 

WHEREAS, DMVA aims to enhance North Carolina’s military- and veteran-friendly environment and foster a resilient business, technology, transportation, infrastructure, education, economic development, and health care partnership by facilitating assistance and coordination among the federal government, the state of North Carolina, and the state’s collaborative and supporting agencies; and 

WHEREAS, Governor Stein proclaimed North Carolina a Do Your Part State in August 2025, committing the state to identifying, prioritizing, and implementing the most effective policies and programs to enhance the well-being of military communities in an effort to lighten the load for military families and make it easier for servicemembers to remain focused on their mission; and 

WHEREAS, North Carolina is home to more than 130,000 active-duty, guard, and reserve members, boasts nearly 150,000 military family members, and has the fourth- largest military population of any state in the nation; and North Carolina is the home of five major military installations: U.S. Army Garrison Fort Bragg; Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point; Marine Corps Air Station New River; Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune; and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, as well as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City and numerous other smaller military facilities and structures throughout the state; and 

WHEREAS, the U.S. military is the second largest sector of North Carolina’s economy, accounting for 12.7% of North Carolina’s gross state product in 2022, worth $79.7 billion, and with more than 653,000 individuals either directly employed by the military or working in jobs providing goods or services that support the military’s presence in North Carolina; and 

WHEREAS, defense procurement contracts in North Carolina exceeded $6.1 billion in fiscal year 2020, and businesses with defense-related contracts operate in 83 of North Carolina’s 100 counties; and 

WHEREAS, North Carolina is committed to supporting and promoting servicemembers, their families, and military communities within the state; and 

WHEREAS, it is of paramount importance to the future of North Carolina to maintain the best possible relationship with all branches of the U.S. military and the communities that surround military installations to promote practices that maintain North Carolina’s preeminent position as a best location for military bases and training installations; and 

WHEREAS, it is critical for all North Carolina agencies to be knowledgeable about the presence and contributions of military communities to the state as well as military families’ unique needs, including education, health care, housing, and workforce development, that are critical in supporting military readiness; and 

WHEREAS, North Carolina seeks to promote military- and defense-related economic development, growth, and expansion of other industries within the state, including but not limited to agriculture and agribusiness, tourism and outdoor recreation, and renewable energy, while providing regulatory certainty, efficiency and consistency; and 

WHEREAS, state agency actions should be planned and executed with full consideration of and sensitivity to their actual and potential impacts on military organizations, installations, and communities; and 

WHEREAS, the timely exchange of information among all agency stakeholders at the onset of agency action that could impact military communities is critical for effective operational awareness; and 

WHEREAS, it is important for state agencies to consider the needs of military installations, missions, and communities in planning agencies’ economic development activities and in providing regulatory consistency and efficiency; and

WHEREAS, the Governor is committed to strengthening North Carolina’s military communities and instituting a whole-of-government approach to improve agency coordination, bolster state services, and enhance awareness of military installations and communities throughout the state; and 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Article III of the North Carolina Constitution and N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 143A-4 and 143B-4, the Governor is the chief executive officer of the state and is responsible for formulating and administering the policies of the executive branch of state government; and 

WHEREAS, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 147-12, the Governor has the authority and the duty to supervise the official conduct of all executive and ministerial officers. 

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority vested in me as Governor by the Constitution and laws of the State of North Carolina, IT IS ORDERED:

Section 1. Designating Military Affairs Coordinators.

The Secretary of each Cabinet agency shall designate a Military Affairs Coordinator, whose responsibilities shall include:

1. Staying informed of the workings and activities of DMVA, informing DMVA of agency military engagements, and maintaining regular and effective communications with the DMVA Military Affairs Coordinator and Military Affairs Division;
2. Developing familiarity with agency operations and programs that could impact military community resilience, readiness, support, and training, to include education, housing, entrepreneurship, technology, energy, health care, consumer protection, infrastructure, and transportation; and
3. Regularly informing the agency Secretary of any military readiness or military community support programs and resources that could impact, or be impacted by, agency plans and actions.

Section 2: Improving Services for Military Communities.

DMVA shall convene Military Affairs Coordinators (“Coordinators”) to recommend strategies for addressing opportunities and challenges in supporting military communities. The Coordinators shall coordinate services and programs and identify opportunities to enhance quality of life for military servicemembers and their families. DMVA shall convene Coordinators no less than once every quarter.

Additionally, DMVA shall invite Council of State agencies to take the actions outlined in Section 1 and include all participating agencies in Military Affairs Coordinator convenings.

Section 3. Bolstering Coordination with Military Communities.

All Cabinet agencies shall, in coordination with DMVA:

1. Cooperate with military installations and missions to facilitate the continued presence of major military installations in this state;
2. As appropriate, notify the commanding military officer of a military installation and the governing body in affected counties and municipalities of any economic development, environmental regulatory and resiliency activities, or other projects that the agency determines may impact military installations;
3. Adopt processes to ensure that all agency planning, policy formulation, and actions are conducted with timely consideration having been given to relevant military communities and with appropriate communications with all potentially affected military entities;
4. Collaborate with applicants for grants, permits, or other agency actions to avoid adverse impacts on military readiness or authority and incompatible land uses; and
5. Share information and coordinate efforts with the North Carolina congressional delegation and other federal agencies, as appropriate, to fulfill the objectives of this Executive Order.

Section 4. Updating Reporting.

All Cabinet agencies shall work with DMVA, the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, and other interested stakeholders to develop, create, and release an updated Military Economic Impact on North Carolina report.

Section 5. Duration. 

This Executive Order is effective immediately. It supersedes and replaces all other executive orders on this subject, including Executive Order No. 34 issued on November 22, 2013. This Executive Order shall remain in effect until repealed, replaced, or rescinded by another Executive Order.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in the City of Raleigh, this 27th day of May in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-six.

Josh Stein 

Governor

 

ATTEST:

Elaine F. Marshall             

Secretary of State