Well, so far, you've all pretty much confirmed my suspicions, and I honestly appreciate your inputs. I got one more person to ask, and that requires some time on my knees in prayer.
Again, thank you to everyone who participated.
One other point -- in the event of Defense cutbacks, I think it is likely that MA will lose an AFB. There has been talk that Hanscom AFB might be at risk, but Westover may also be vulnerable. You may already have insight into this issue, and your timeline may make such concerns irrelevant (BRACs typically don't happen overnight).
Just something to think about, if you were to move to MA, possibly buy a house, and then have your AFB shut down, you would find yourself in the western part of the state with limited opportunities. Springfield is very far from the job opportunities which encircle Boston.