We live in Fayetteville, in one of neighborhoods right off post. We're less than a mile from 7th Grp HQ and not far from the new PX/ Commisary. We've lived here for more than 20 years. There are some real advantages to the proximity and that's been pointed out by some darned sharp guys.
I have a school age child. Cumberland County has school choice so if you have kids and they have talent in a certain area the school system will work with you. My son goes to Ben Martin which is an accelerated learning academy. He started school at 4 going on 5. They have tailored his academics to his weaknesses rather than his strengths. He's going to do what he likes on his own. He needs help with what he doesn't like so that program works for him.
The SF people I know tend to bunch up. A guy talks to another guy about where he lives and so on and so forth until you end up with several guys living in the same area. I kind of like that as well. Some people want to get out away from the military but I feel more secure know who my neighbors are and knowing I can count on them when my husband is deployed.
The othe thing is I like being really close to the hospital and the clinic. Because SF is deployed so much it simply makes me feel better knowing help is less than minutes away. I'm sure civilians are just as good as military when it comes to crisis but the difference is I trust the military to know how I'm feeling and to understand better than civilians. (No I don't.
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If it weren't for kids and deployments, I'd be in Southern Pines or Pinehurst in a New York minute.
That's just me and as I've said before I could be wrong but I've been doing this for 20+ years without much problem so take it for what it's worth.