Hosting cadets when we retire

J

jeffinNC

5-Year Member
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May 8, 2017
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212
Hello All,

My daughter is applying for the USAFA and is a junior. My wife and I have been thinking about being a host family when I retire from a major city police department next year. My daughter's commander at CAP is a retired Colonel in the Army and advised her to apply to more than one service academy. She has her heart set on the USAFA but heard from many others that you should apply to multiple service academies and rank them in order of preference? With that being said I want to ask a question about hosting cadets. Our daughter is open and would attend any academy if she did not get USAFA. My daughter asked us where we would like to move to. We had no idea and have never been to any of the 5 cities with the exception of New York City (USMMA). So, strictly opinion here, where would you guys like to retire and why if you had to choose the 5 cities that host our service academies?
 
My grandpa (LTC) retired in Colorado Springs!

Great place, Colorado. It's never too hot in the summer (something we don't have the luxury of in Mississippi!) Lot's of public forest land, obviously the academy is there. Tons of great places to eat, and a REALLY great place if you like the outdoors.

It's a VERY cool place. 10/10 would recommend!
 
Ditto to what jarhead noted ☝. At the end of the day, what’s your family’s preference and where your DD gets admission.

My personal is Colorado Springs if my DD gets to USAFA and IF I could retire. If she gets to any other SA, I am not moving an inch from where I am. I love outdoors, fan of small city and scared of traffic ( which is plenty of in north east).
 
Will focus only on DOD SAs, as those are the only locations I know first-hand. Will not let DD’s location bias me. Have had meaningful residence in six states, stretching from West Coast to East Coast to Midwest and the Rockies, so have a decent basis for comparison.

No to Colorado Springs. (And this is the one that I know best.) It’s a vast and fast-growing metropolis, on track to be Colorado’s largest city in a decade or two. Wonderful proximity to the mountains. But frankly the city lacks soul. Or as I say, “there’s no there there.” It’s an ever-expanding plot of quickly constructed cookie-cutter neighborhoods alongside chain-driven strip malls. And though Denver is just an hour north, I consider it one of the most uninteresting big cities in the nation (and again, I know it quite well).

No to the West Point area. The region is just beautiful. The Hudson River Valley screams Americana, history and tradition. But it has a terribly depressed economy that’s well past its prime. Many towns are rundown, though attempts to regentrify seem to be taking hold — but at very high prices. It’s NYC refugees driving up those prices, as they seek more-affordable housing within decent commuting distance.

Yes to Annapolis. It’s aesthetically beautiful, economically vibrant, centrally located while maintaining a small-city feel, ethnically diverse, rich in history, wonderfully modern, and in spitting distance of both mountains and ocean. It’s the best of so many worlds.
 
This should be an interesting discussion.
I’ll just add this, because if I don’t post it at least 2-3 times a year, I am letting the side down.
I’m a happy Annapolis area resident. It all depends on what is important to you as a retiree. Is it the tax situation in each state? There are several sites which give breakdowns on that. Is it proximity to natural beauty or features? Certain activities? Big city culture? Suburbs with easy access to national parks? Major airport? Proximity to family? Weather preferences? Cost of living?
 
txfwindian said:
Ditto to what jarhead noted ☝. At the end of the day, what’s your family’s preference and where your DD gets admission.

My personal is Colorado Springs if my DD gets to USAFA and IF I could retire. If she gets to any other SA, I am not moving an inch from where I am. I love outdoors, fan of small city and scared of traffic ( which is plenty of in north east).
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Capt MJ said:
This should be an interesting discussion.
I’ll just add this, because if I don’t post it at least 2-3 times a year, I am letting the side down.
I’m a happy Annapolis area resident. It all depends on what is important to you as a retiree. Is it the tax situation in each state? There are several sites which give breakdowns on that. Is it proximity to natural beauty or features? Certain activities? Big city culture? Suburbs with easy access to national parks? Major airport? Proximity to family? Weather preferences? Cost of living?
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It really doesn't make any difference to us as far as those things go. Dont like traffic I guess but if it came down to it we would move to wherever she is going but since I have never lived in any of the 5 service academy cities-I was just looking for opinions mixed in with some facts about living/retiring/hosting in those cities. If she doesn't get USAFA and is on the fence about USMA or USNA or even USMMA/USCGA our comfort in retirement could sway her:) Just looking for good old opinions!
 
I live in Florida, and the only thing I like about it is the tax situation....other than that its a horrible place. I lived Colorado for 6 years, and still own property and a cabin in Breckenridge. Colorado is a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to move back there on a full time basis. I lived in Seattle for 20 years, and its probably my favorite city on the planet. I'd have to sell everything to afford to live there again.....so with that being said, I'd move to Coeur d'Alene Idaho. Great Summers and short snowy winters. Probably still affordable, unlike a lot of places in Western Montana.
 
Traffic is only a pain in Annapolis is if you are having to commute daily into DC or Baltimore. Short bursts of pain during major USNA events in non-COVID years.

Weather is typical Mid-Atlantic. Humid summers, crisp dry falls, a few snowstorms Dec-Feb with some years no snow (tempered by the Chesapeake Bay), lovely springs, daffodils by early March. Housing is expensive though, and Anne Arundel County is right up there.
 
Capt MJ said:
Of course, Jimmy Buffett dropped in on his boat over the past weekend in Annapolis. Apparently he has been cruising the upper Chesapeake. Best time of year.

baltimore.cbslocal.com

Jimmy Buffett Plays Impromptu Mini-Concert For U.S. Naval Academy Sailing Team Before Practice

The U.S. Naval Academy sailing team got quite the surprise Friday afternoon!
baltimore.cbslocal.com baltimore.cbslocal.com
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The sailing team has a legacy of things like this that stretches back decades. Famous and/or wealthy folks have donated boats or their time to the team on many occasions and some choose to interact with the team in person.
 
Thanks for the responses. Annapolis would be closet to home for sure. There have been several plugs for Annapolis and Colorado Springs. Nothing for West Point NY or Coast Guard in CT? It doesn't matter to me or my wife where we are a host family. On a parent forum they said there was a big need for host families so we are really looking forward to this!
 
Tough decisions. My personal ranking-
1. Annapolis
2. Colorado
3/4. New London or Great Neck
5. Gulp. West Point.
1 and 2 can be swapped depending on your preference. Water or mountains?
It’s tough to discuss rankings without getting a little political.
3/4. Cost of living will be high. A starter home in the Great Neck area is about $1 million. It makes Annapolis look adorable. Everything is taxed. High income tax, high sales tax, high gas tax. Cross a bridge? Minimum $10. But those areas are pretty.
West Point. As pointed out the area is very economically depressed. NYC runs the state and is making it very hard to do business. Add to that people fleeing NYC and commuting to work and you have the Poughkeepsie effect. Sky high property costs. Also, same issue as Long Island. High taxes on everything.
 
jeffinCharlotte said:
Thanks for the responses. Annapolis would be closet to home for sure. There have been several plugs for Annapolis and Colorado Springs. Nothing for West Point NY or Coast Guard in CT? It doesn't matter to me or my wife where we are a host family. On a parent forum they said there was a big need for host families so we are really looking forward to this!
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New London is a bit worn down, but Mystic, CT, a seaport 10 minutes East of New London, is a fabulous town - have always enjoyed our time there.
 
New London/Mystic is the one we really have not thought about. Thanks for that plug!
 
Our son graduated from USAFA in 2013. After visiting him for 4 years, I kinda' took a likin' to the place and we decided to move from Atlanta to Colorado Springs in 2014. We LOVE it here and have been a sponsor family for cadets for the past 6 years :)
 
USAFAGradMom said:
Our son graduated from USAFA in 2013. After visiting him for 4 years, I kinda' took a likin' to the place and we decided to move from Atlanta to Colorado Springs in 2014. We LOVE it here and have been a sponsor family for cadets for the past 6 years :)
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It is a little premature now being that my daughter will apply in March but my wife and I would love to chat with you maybe next year about this if ok? Hinging on her being appointed of course:) Im sure your a wealth of information on this. You must be enjoying it a lot if you are six years in being a sponsor family!
 
USAFAGradMom said:
Our son graduated from USAFA in 2013. After visiting him for 4 years, I kinda' took a likin' to the place and we decided to move from Atlanta to Colorado Springs in 2014. We LOVE it here and have been a sponsor family for cadets for the past 6 years :)
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My father was stationed at USAFA from 1973-1978. I graduated from AAHS. While there we "sponsored" several cadets; two of which we kept all four years.

Today Rhett and David, both class of '79, LCWB (If I didn't put that, I'd be in trouble) are like my older brothers...which is pretty nice when you think....I met them when they were 18 and I was...15....and they're now 63 and I'm...well...

A sponsor family can have a tremendously positive impact upon the cadet...but they, in turn, can have a remarkably similar impact back!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
AAHS '78
 
jeffinCharlotte said:
New London/Mystic is the one we really have not thought about. Thanks for that plug!
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New London is worn down but there are lots of beautiful little towns around it. It is the area I would choose. Also being the smallest academy you would get to know many of the people there very quickly. I am sure that would make the move easier.
 
Do all academies do the sponsor family program? I thought not. If that’s your primary reason for moving.

Annapolis is amazing.
 
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