Moving to different State,PLEASE help me choose

[Mojostick]

Does your wife intend to find a job? If so, you gotta really keep that in mind. While northern Michigan is beautiful, finding higher wage jobs can be difficult. On top of it, with all the retired folks on pensions bailing for no/low tax states and/or warmer weather and the new auto workers making a fraction, northern Michigan could be a difficult place to sell a house in some area's if you decide to buy, since so many seasonal places are for sale. Right around my land, many seasonal places that were for sale in 2009 are still sitting there.

If you like to fish or duck hunt and don't mind traffic and the hustle and bustle, SE Detroit can actually be OK, as long as you're away from Detroit and the inner ring of suburbs, that now are no place to move to.

Port Huron has a station. You're close to Lake St. Clair, maybe the best fishing in the country, there's world class duck hunting and Canada for bear isn't far. For deer, you'd need to do legwork to find private ground there, but you're only a couple hours drive from 1,000,000's of public acres, although that deer hunting is also fairly spotty unless you do lots of homework and scouting.

As far as northern Michigan, the Frankfort, Ludington and Frankfort posts would be really nice, if your wife is stay at home or has a skill for a higher wage job. If she can work at a hospital or get into management of a resort or golf course, you can do well.

The UP posts would be beautiful for the 6 weeks of Spring, Summer and Fall, but while snow is fine, I don't want to live in feet of it from November to late April. LOL

[Bill Kissner]

Originally posted by Rick Wiltshire:
I am from Illinois and have NO idea why anyone would want to move here.  VERY little public land and a State legislature that has run the state into financial dysfunction.   If you move to Chicago it would be, in my mind, even worse.  I am looking forward to getting out of the state once my kids are out of college.

i

I am partially with Rick. Chicago would be completely off my list. Illinois would be a great place if we could make Chicago its own state.

[j.j.johnston]

The CG stations in Alaska are very near good hunting for deer, black bear, brown bear, goats and  waterfowl.  Fishing is great too.

[McDave]

This has already been well covered, but I remember in the Marines they said we could request a duty station when we left Vietnam. I requested Kodiak Island, and they sent me to Camp Lejeune, along with most of the other folks returning from Vietnam.  Request and Get are two different words.

[59Alaskan]

First off, thank you for your service.  I sometimes regret not following my dream of the CG.  

Second, where you live is what you make of it.

Third:

NC coast
Michigan
Jacksonville, FL
Chicago puts you within driving distance of IL, IN, MI

[Mojostick]

Here's a link of pics of Michigan posts...
 http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Coast+Guard+Stations+in+Michigan&FORM=HDRSC2

[South MS Bowhunter]

Chris,

Wherever you choose I'm sure it will be fine as long as the Wife is Happy lol.

If I don't see you again it's been great knowing you!

I may get a chance to make the Pre-Spring again this year but it sounds like you may not?

[el greco]

Hey John as mach as I would like to come to pre spring I will still be attending training...What a nice group of people we have there every year..

My wife works for Southwest Airlines and  although they fly everywhere they hace to start from either Orlando,San Francisco(actually Oakland),Baltimore, Las Vegas(no Coast Guard there),Houston(lots of CG in Galveston),Chicago.
So as much as I would like to go Alaska or Hawaii it is a nono. For this past 3 years se has to drive once a week from Mobile Al to Orlando(that is 8 hours one way...)

[VictoryHunter]

X2 Jacksonville!

[wazu02]

I would try to get the Seattle nesu station or Oregon. Plenty of places to hunt and fish.

[arrowlauncherdj]

I'd vote Jacksonville also, that way you have all that north florida public land to hunt for various game, including hogs, deer, turkey, and I think even bear in some places, awesome shot at fishing, and your wife could travel for work easier.

Dave

[bartcanoe]

Considering your wife's job, I would say Jacksonville is the best bet.  In addition to the opportunties others have pointed out, Ft Stewart is a couple hours north, and has some excellent hunting.

[LittleBen]

What about the pacific northwest? Portland or seattle? might be good for wife's job too and I'd imagine theres a ****load of land up there.

[58WINTERS]

My son is a Senior Chief in the Coast Guard and currently the Officer in Charge (OIC) at Coast Guard Station Annapolis, MD.  On the wall in the house hangs a plague that says" home is where the Coast Guard sends us". Below that are attached smaller plaques for each duty station documenting nearly 20 years of service.  Started on the USCG cutter ACTIVE out of Port Angeles, WA. Sometimes you get what you ask for sometimes not, make the best of it. Advance as quickly as you can, learn to be a leader and grow.  It will be tough at times, rise to the occasion at work and home.
You may get to hunt along your journey.
Semper Paratus
Best wishes
58

[Steve O]

Lots of CG stuff in Alaska. I would pick Kodiak Island.

Of your other spots, Northern California is one of the most beautiful places around and there is tons of public land up there. Pigs, deer, and some of the largest black bear in the world.

Michigan would be good if you want to fish, hunting here is terrible, unless you have access to private land, and even then is fairly depressing. LOTS of better choices.

[chinook907]

Yup, Coast Guard Station Kodiak.  Life on the Rock isn't always great, but there are blacktail deer, brown bears, and mountain goats around you.  Phenomenal saltwater fishing for chinook and coho, halibut, and rockfish.  Still some crabbing, and clam digging.  Good salmon and Dolly Varden fishing in freshwater.

[Hoyt]

Try this link..  Find Your Spot

[achigan]

Dana Ind. has a Loran station staffed by Coasties, but it doesn't seem your rating is needed there.  

[Bldtrailer]

If you want the life time dream try Alaska! Hunting , fishing ,coastal lower part of the state not as cold and you will always be able to say "WE LIVED IN AK" my son worked in Denali and has been trying/dreaming about living in AK sence
      what other place can you hunt and fish like a bear    

[johnnyk71]

Sure wish you guys weren't leaving, but if you end up in Jacksonville, Dave and I could drive down in the summer and we could hunt pigs and bowfish.