today he teaches at the University of Texas. With a population of about 1.7 million in the Austin metro area, the city has major amenities, and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport serves more than 10 domes- tic airlines. “It’s a white-collar city with the state government [and] the university and high-tech with a rea- sonable cost of living,” Matwiczak says. “There are good education and employment opportunities and an amazing volunteer community.” Noted for being environmentally conscious, the Texas state capital is becoming increasingly urban, luring many people downtown to live. This is ideal for retirees, because theaters, restaurants, music, and museums all are within walking distance. “It’s the live-music capital of the
world,” Matwiczak adds, “with every- thing from classical to country to jazz and lots of music festivals.” Located in the famed Texas Hill Country, Austin also has many opportunities for out- door recreation, from water sports, hunting, fishing, and hiking to golfing at more than two-dozen courses. Camp Mabry in Austin has an
exchange but no commissary. Fort Hood, about 60 miles north of Aus- tin, has two large exchanges, two large commissaries, and a large hospital. Austin has two VA clin- ics. Several Austin retirees report some problems finding local medical providers who accept TRICARE, al- though those on Medicare with TRI- CARE For Life as their secondary insurer are able to find providers. For more information, visit www
.austintexas.org.
Chattanooga, Tenn. “A tourist destination is a nice place to live because all those things are available to residents, too,” says June Scobee Rodgers, widow of Chal- lenger 7 commander Lt. Col. Dick Scobee, USAF; wife of Lt. Gen. Don
60 MILITARY OFFICER SEPTEMBER 2011
Rodgers, USA-Ret.; and author of Chattanooga: River City Renaissance (Towery Publishing, 1998). When it was time for Don to retire in the early 1990s, June recalls Chat- tanooga’s quality of life really got the couple’s attention. “[Chattanooga has] four seasons, a beautiful university, and hospitals that accept the military with open arms,” she says. The city includes Tennessee River attractions, one of the country’s top aquariums, and a vibrant music and art commu- nity with numerous festivals. Helen Davis Johnson, of Chat- tanooga nonprofit CreateHere, says, “We offer substantial grants to artists and artisans providing for career ad- vancement, project development, and
zoo, an airport served by four major airlines, and a downtown fleet of lo- cally manufactured zero-emission electric buses providing free rides for everyone. At the same time, it main- tains small-town friendliness. When it came to housing, Rodgers says, the cost of living was less than anywhere she and Don had been stationed. The local National Guard unit has a small exchange, and Arnold AFB, about 50 miles northwest of Chattanooga, has a small commissary and exchange. “We wondered about other [ser- vicemembers]” in the city, Rodgers says, “but within six months, we discovered Army, Navy, and Air Force retirees.” She says there are military organi-
zations, and on special occasions, such as the parade for Armed Forces Day, retirees are invited to wear uniforms. “The military are dearly loved and honored here,” she says. For more information, visit www
.choosechattanooga.com.
Raccoon Mountain Caverns, just outside of Chattanooga, Tenn., is a popular attraction.
studio expenses. These have resulted in local boutique shops, art studios, and large-scale public works to give our community an energetic art vibe.” Outdoor recreational opportunities
range from hang-gliding to caving, water sports, golfing, camping, fish- ing, and exploring Civil War sites. With a metropolitan population of about 550,000, Chattanooga has big-city amenities, including the aquarium, museums, a symphony, a
Las Vegas “We don’t all live on the Strip and sleep on roulette wheels,” says Lt. Col. Mary Marshall, USAF-Ret., about liv- ing in Las Vegas. When it was time to retire she says she and her retired Air Force husband elected to stay put, like many other retirees from Nellis AFB. Marshall, a volunteer at Nellis’ Retiree Affairs Office, says there are many reasons to like Las Vegas, start- ing with good weather. You still are part of a military community, too. Nellis AFB lends strong support to retirees, Marshall says, with a large commissary and exchange. Retiree health care is provided or coordinated for some 40,000 regional retirees and their dependents on a space-available basis, and Marshall says there is no trouble getting care. The tourist draw of the city ben-
efits residents who like to travel because Mc-
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