The Alamo
storied history (remember the Alamo!), and 47,924 military retirees call the area — also known as Mili- tary City USA — home. Defense, health care, and tourism
are the city’s major economic driv- ers. In 2010, Army post Fort Sam Houston, Lackland AFB, and Ran- dolph AFB merged to form Joint Base San Antonio, which supports an active duty military population of 80,000. The South Texas Veterans Health
Care System’s Audie L. Murphy Me- morial VA Hospital provides top- notch regional health care. The city also off ers three veterans’ retire- ment villages, and the University of Texas at San Antonio has been iden- tifi ed as a military-friendly school. Aside from its storied River-
walk — 5 miles of walkways along the San Antonio River, lined with shops, bars, and restaurants — the city boasts a professional basketball team, plenty of parks and museums, and 17 school districts. Add location to the list of San
Antonio’s pros. In spring, wild bluebonnets speckle the landscape, and Austin and Houston are close enough for day trips. Austin, known as much for its music scene as its eclectic vibe and the South by
64 MILITARY OFFICER SEPTEMBER 2015
Southwest conference celebrating art, fi lm, and media, is less than an hour and a half from San Antonio. And Houston, with its big oil and world-class health care, sits less than four hours away.
City Stats: San Antonio
Population: 1,409,019 Health Care: South Texas Veterans Health Care System’s Audie L. Mur- phy Memorial VA Hospital Median Home Price: $184,200 Tax Information: Military retirement pay is exempt, and Texas doesn’t have state income tax. Airport: San Antonio International Airport Climate: A hot, humid climate with mild winters. San Antonio’s prox- imity to the Gulf of Mexico carries the threat of an occasional tropical storm or hurricane. Area Attractions: Riverwalk, Alamo Mission, Mission San Jose, Natural Bridge Caverns, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio Zoo and Aquar- ium, Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio Botanical Garden More Info: www.visitsanantonio.com
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK