What is your dream duty station?

I was asked that question during our L.I.N.K.S class that I took and it was really hard for me to come up with an answer. I feel like there are so many factors that would go into determining where our "dream duty station" would be that it would be impossible for me to decide! 


Currently, I can say that my "Dream RIGHT NOW Duty Station" would be here at Camp Lejeune. Hold on, before you completely think I'm nuts, hear me out...


Reasons why Lejeune is my dream duty station:

1. We own our house- we want to live in it.  We picked this house because I loved it from the second I saw it (Kale was deployed, he didn't see pictures until after our offer was submitted!), and once Kale came home, he loved it too! We want to live in it a little longer before we are forced to sell or rent it out. 

2. Kale hates to fly- he would rather drive 12 hours each way to Erie, stay for 24 hours, then drive 12 hours back to NC then fly up for the same amount of money. 

If we get stationed out at one of the bases in California, that is going to be one long car ride- over 36 hours! 

3. Cost of Living- its expensive to live around where the other bases are- Virginia, California, Hawaii, and Japan, um no thanks! Its much cheaper being stationed in North Carolina, and frankly- I'm super cheap! 

4. We both have great groups of friends here, and although everyone will move eventually, they aren't moving yet...so we don't want to either!

5.When we have kids, I want family close by in case of an emergency.  I have a cousin who lives 3 hours away and my Aunt and Uncle live an hour and a half away from us.  They would be on the road the second we called either of them to come to where we needed them to be.  The other options, we don't have family close by. 

6. We live less than 5 miles from the beach, can you say "Awesome!"


So, my answer was Camp Lejeune, and although some people really hate this area, I love it.  Camp Lejeune may not be "Mr. Right" for us, it definitely is "Mr. Right Now"