I've been at Pendleton and Quantico. Love them both. Pendleton is in a great area, you're close to San Diego and right next to Oceanside/Carlsbad... tons to do and the weather is beautiful. There's a lot to do aboard Pendleton, too. I'd go back in a heartbeat. Loved living in Carlsbad, going to the farmer's market down the street for fresh flowers and empanadas, going into San Diego on the weekends, going to the beach all the time... Traffic isn't bad unless you're going to L.A., in which case, LA traffic is insane. I never went to LA unless I was going for a weekend!
Quantico is about 35 miles from D.C. (which can be a long commute because traffic gets nuts!) and its a much smaller base, but it's nice. So far I've really appreciated the medical care at Quantico - it's been excellent (we'll see how it goes now that I'm pregnant!). We have a great pool with slides and a splash pad for the kids and the nicest gym I've ever seen. Bowling, movies and library are all really nice, cheap amenities too and everything is very child-friendly.
Erm.. don't know what else to tell you without knowing what you're looking for! Both areas are HCOL. Houses and groceries are expensive. But for me, it's worth it to live on the coast/near a city.
My sister lives near the Marine base in Kanehoe, HI and I would say it's pretty nice there!
Another friend had a horrible experience at Camp Lejeune in NC when her husband was stationed there as a Corpsman. She would not recommend it to her worst enemy.
I hated jacksonville, nc (camp lejeune, mcas jacksonville, camp Geiger.)We have a friend from Hawaii, he loved it, cost of living is a lil steep. We are in Parrish island now. It's a tiny town, but it's quiet and drama free.
I've lived at Cherry Point and Camp Lejeune in NC. We currently are at Quantico in VA. Cherry Point was the most miserable place I have ever lived. Hate is too light of a word for what I felt for it. Camp Lejeune was better, and I liked it there. Quantico is fantastic, IMO. I love it here.
I've been to Lejeune (x2), 29Palms, Quantico (x2) and K-Bay. Also spent a lot of time in Cherry Point.
Depends on whats your definition of "better". Some people despise Lejeune, I actually thought it was fine. Some people adore K-Bay, we were pretty ready to leave. Most people love Quantico (we are back here now and absolutely adore it!!) but you never know.
Over the years I have pretty much found that location is not as important as unit. Our bad experiences in Hawaii were mostly shaped by DH's horrific hours, 50% deployment rate (like he was in the sandbox for 50% of our time there, not just "away" like on TDY. Total away time would have probably been 75%+) and the problems within the unit. On the other hand, in Lejeune he was working dreamy hours, his work environment was awesome, and we had a great life. We choose billets now based on jobs and units. Unless it was somewhere horrid, we would much prefer to take a "bad" location with great life over an awesome location with him working 100+hrs a week. Especially since everyones opinion of "bad" is different.
There are some overseas bases, mostly in Okinawa and Guam. I live on Okinawa and love it, but there are some that don't like it much at all. I think most everything else overseas is either an embassy billet or at a different service's base.
He should know the possible bases he can go to. They will go over that in his MOS school or maybe before. Once he gets assigned a Unit he will know where he is going. Good Luck keep us posted
yup he's in bootcamp! i got his first letter today "this is hell" he said. ugh i feel so bad for him, but he reassured me that the end result will be worth it, and i agree. especially since a week before his graduation, i graduate from college! he said to send him a picture of me and ebee so at night he can have a happy place :] i know all about Army living [both my parents were in the army] but Marine's is a totally different thing. I know that it's going to get easier, but right now, we're only 12 days in, and my heart is still aching so bad.
Re: Marine Bases
Define better.
I've been at Pendleton and Quantico. Love them both. Pendleton is in a great area, you're close to San Diego and right next to Oceanside/Carlsbad... tons to do and the weather is beautiful. There's a lot to do aboard Pendleton, too. I'd go back in a heartbeat. Loved living in Carlsbad, going to the farmer's market down the street for fresh flowers and empanadas, going into San Diego on the weekends, going to the beach all the time... Traffic isn't bad unless you're going to L.A., in which case, LA traffic is insane. I never went to LA unless I was going for a weekend!
Quantico is about 35 miles from D.C. (which can be a long commute because traffic gets nuts!) and its a much smaller base, but it's nice. So far I've really appreciated the medical care at Quantico - it's been excellent (we'll see how it goes now that I'm pregnant!). We have a great pool with slides and a splash pad for the kids and the nicest gym I've ever seen. Bowling, movies and library are all really nice, cheap amenities too and everything is very child-friendly.
Erm.. don't know what else to tell you without knowing what you're looking for! Both areas are HCOL. Houses and groceries are expensive. But for me, it's worth it to live on the coast/near a city.
My sister lives near the Marine base in Kanehoe, HI and I would say it's pretty nice there!
Another friend had a horrible experience at Camp Lejeune in NC when her husband was stationed there as a Corpsman. She would not recommend it to her worst enemy.
What will your DH be doing? His MOS? That will tell you where you can and cannot go.
I am in Jacksonville, NC [Camp LeJeune] it is what you make it to be basically.
AMEN!!!!
fixed airwing mechanic.
He should know the possible bases he can go to. They will go over that in his MOS school or maybe before. Once he gets assigned a Unit he will know where he is going. Good Luck keep us posted
Isn't he in boot camp right now?