My Favorite Military Duty Stations

You may or may not know that I am a military spouse, I also grew up as a military child, or Brat as we like to call it! My whole life I have been affiliated with the military and therefore moved around A LOT! I have lived in 5 countries and 3 states. Not to mention all the ones I have traveled to!

This post is going to be my first in a 2 part series about some of the different places I have lived! Today’s post is going to include my favorite military duty stations as a dependent. Obviously, these are from my point of view and not the military member (my dad and husband) because they would have some differing opinions! With that being said each place you live is What YOU make of it! I am going to share my favorites in the order that I have lived at the duty stations to make it easier!

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My favorite military duty stations as a child

Mildenhall, England-

This one is bound to be on my list because England is my home! Another fun fact, if you didn’t know is that I am British, so my family was close by while we were stationed at this base. This base is located very close to two others, Lakenheath and Feltwell. So between the three bases, there were often many activities to partake in from youth sports, to bowling alley lock-ins and so much more! I love England and all the history it has to offer! There are endless places to visit in this smallish country and so much more to explore!

We traveled to many local towns and villages such as Bury St. Edmonds, Newmarket, Thetford, and a little further to Oxford and London! I love that England has all four seasons in their entirety so you get to enjoy what each season has to offer. My favorite season in England is winter. I love all the Christmas markets, holiday lights, and fun events that happen this time of year! And you will usually get some snow as well!

I hope to get stationed in England again in the future! If you are moving there soon, I hope that you will love it and make the most of it!

Aviano, Italy-

My time in Italy was full of so much adventure. Honestly, I can’t even remember all the places my family visited! Aviano is located in Northern Italy making it very easy to drive to other countries such as Slovenia, Switzerland, and France. We visited all these countries and more while stationed at Aviano. Locally, my family spent time snowboarding in Piancavallo, walking around lake Barcis, and exploring the cities of Pordenone, Sacile, and more.

Aviano is also great because it is located very close to Venice. I spent a lot of time in Venice, including my senior skip day 😁🤣.

My absolute favorite place to visit in Italy is Sirmione! It is a beautiful small town within the walls of an old castle!

While living here I participated in high school sports year-round. Because of this, I was constantly traveling to other cities such as Rome, Milan, and Sicily. I spent a lot of time hanging out with friends at local restaurants and markets in Aviano as well as walking around the town. This was a very memorable time for me. This duty station is one for people who aren’t afraid to travel and be adventurous!

JBER, Alaska-

Oh Alaska, How I miss you so! This should be at the top of my list because it is my #1 favorite military duty station! Melvin and I got married a year after I moved to Alaska, so technically that’s when this became a duty station I was at hahaha. Not that that matters.
JBER is located in Anchorage, Alaska and honestly, I don’t even know where to start with this location! I knew from the moment my plane landed in Anchorage that this place was going to hold a special place in my heat!

There is so much to do in Anchorage year-round if you don’t mind being in snow and exploring! The summers are fun because you have constant daylight and more time to explore. Locally, we explored Hatcher Pass, Eagle River, and Alyeska to name a few. We went on numerous hikes and bike trails to include Thunderbird Falls, Flattop Mountain, and The Bird to Gird bike trail.

Further Away

We also took a few trips further away to Seward, Denali State Park, and Fairbanks. In Seward, you can take fun day cruises to spot whales and other wildlife and also visit nearby glaciers. Denali State Park has the tallest mountain in North America, Denali, and is also where Melvin and I got engaged! And Fairbanks has small museums and is close to the North Pole and Chena Hot Springs.
If you are looking for snowboarding in the winter you can do that right on base, out in Anchorage, or make a short hour drive to Alyeska for some REAL slopes. Alyeska also has a lodge that my mum and I stayed at, and it was beautiful and cozy in the winter snow!

The base itself has a lot to offer as well. There are many elementary schools (where I taught), youth centers, a bowling alley, multiple gyms, a snowboarding and sledding mountain and so much more! I could go on and on about how much I loved living at this military duty station and how much I wish we could go back but that would be too much for this post!

So if you have any specific questions about any of these locations, feel free to ask me in the comments below! What has been your favorite military duty station? If you’re not military, what has been your favorite vacation destination? Tell me in the comments below!

My Favorite Military Duty Stations

My Favorite Military Duty Stations