Posted on 06/09/2018 9:19:28 AM PDT by BBell
Retired Air Force Sgt. Charise Harper knew in high school that she wanted a career in the military. She sought the structure and career training that she knew the military would provide, and she thrived for 14 years until taking medical retirement.
As easy as it was for Harper to make the decision to live the military life, the decisions involved with civilian life were more difficult.
"I always wanted to live in New Orleans, and it was the place I chose when I was able to choose where I would live for the first time in my adult life," the Jackson, Miss., native said. "But I wasn't sure where to start. I only knew one way of living and wanted to be in some kind of veteran community."
The community she found is Bastion Community of Resilience, a living community specifically designed for returning service men and women and their families. Located on 5.5 acres in Gentilly in the shadow of Dillard University and founded by veteran and New Orleans resident Dylan Tete, the non-profit organization is the first of its kind in the United States.
Bastion, named in reference to a military stronghold, is geared toward post 9/11 veterans. Its goal is to bring quality of life and healthy aging to veterans and their families while strengthening their social networks.
Just a little more than a year old, the community is already making an impact. With 38 townhome-style apartments with 1, 2 or 3-bedroom layouts and 20 more homes under construction, Bastion is home to 76 residents including 29 children. The homes under construction will be completed this year, said Bastion development director Lauren Bowman.
The residents represent each branch of the military including the Coast Guard with 196 years of combined military service and 19 different deployments to
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
In regard to this complex I would never live there. I hated base life but I was stationed on Marine bases where you are a Marine 24/7 ,so wear your belt on liberty son or the camp guard or the MPs will give you a violation that will be sent to the 1StSgt. Hopefully they will run this complex like an Air Force base. NICE!
Do they play reveille every morning and taps at night?
is there any statistics about how many military personal take early retirement?....
Thanks for posting.
When you think of all the vets that end up homeless because of the lack of support systems, this place sounds wonderful. Good for them!
I don’t know but I’m sure it’s at a historic high.
I’ve lived a lot of places and I can tell you Louisiana folks genuinely like their vets.
I loved base life, yes some of the rules are a pain, but I would love to move back on base , and be in the military than in this civilian world,
Your welcome.
They have noisy formations and formation runs at the crack of dawn.
Did you ever live on a Marine base?
Very modern looking and probably energy and water efficient as well.
I think this is a great idea. It seems to be ready not only for older vets but for people who liked the general military environment (because you had the same experiences and a ready-made group of buddies, some of whom you liked and some not, but you all had to deal with each other).
A lot of Vietnam vets (who wouldn’t qualify for this anyway) came back after a couple of years with PTSD and to find out that their wives, girlfriends or whatever had left them and there was really no place for them to go. People who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan had the same problem, and I think this could be very helpful. It’s an attempt, at least.
Living on Air Force bases for many years I say unless this housing complex can recreate the wonderful noise of 24/7 flightline operations with jet noise and the smell of burning JP4 all over then I don't want to go.
The thing I miss a lot is the continuous running of the B-52, KC-135A, or even the B-1B engines; either on the aircraft or being run in the Test Cell. The smell of the burning JP4 was an aphrodisiac to me. I loved it.
I certainly do not miss the sounds and smells at night of a large room full of guys.
Yes for years
What an awesome concept! Glad someone came up with this.
Sounds awesome, at least for people who like the childlike life of life on a military base. I bet their HOA is going to be something fun to experience.
A very well-meaning idea, and I hope it takes off and is successful. I understand completely about the veterans of 1975-2001 vintage, I’m one. We, for the longest time didn’t even exist. Even Desert Shield/Storm vets got marginal recognition beyond the first few years after the Gulf War ended. Anyone remember the men that participated in the Panama invasion in 1989? I do, since my unit sent troops there. SFOR Bosnia? SFOR Sinai? Meals-on-Wheels for the country of XYZ? Government job applications of all-levels asked only if you were a ‘Nam-era vet, no others mattered.
I sympathize with you. You may be experiencing stockade syndrome. Just kidding. If ya liked it ya liked it. I may have liked it more had I not been a grunt.
I did not mind it so much when I was living on Camp Foster as a dependent. I did like living off base but the utilities were a killer.
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