Tropical Military Bases?
 

Hello
I'm a GS employee at Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas. I'm interested in moving somewhere warm and tropical with great snorkeling.
I want to stay in the GS system and keep working at a military hospital.
What are my choices?
There's Guam and there's Tripler (don't want to move to Oahu).
Any other hospitals that you can think of?

google kwajalein jobs. There was a thread here a while back of pictures and description of reef life on kwajalein, and this guys tank set up right out of his back yard ocean.

Okinawa lol... Thats about as tropical as it gets. Good snorkeling and scuba diving too.

Have you looked into NAS Key West (Keys, FL)?

Not sure if Patrick AFB has a good hospital, it's near Cocoa Beach, FL though so I imagine it's warm most of the time.

How about the Azores? Usually a short tour for military but you could volunteer for more than a year probably.

There is Maui (not sure what all is really there but the AF is there), there is Japan (sounds weird but you are at the doorstep of the entire Pacific), and you could look in to an assignment in any of the Florida locations.

I'm currently at NAS Pensacola. If you're looking at the Northern Gulf Coast area (NAS Pensacola, NAS Whiting, Hurlburt AFB, Eglin AFB, Tyndall AFB... etc. It does get relatively cold here in the winter (if you want strict warmth.
Keesler AFB is over in Biloxi, MS. From what I understand though, there isn't any good snorkeling there.

I'm not familiar with NAS New Orleans, I just know it exists.

best beat would be okinawa, japan we just moved from there being stationed there for three years. the fish stores can almost get you any thing you want and for a reasonable price, including inverts. and plus the ocean easily accessible.

Kwajalein is a GOCO, Government owned Contractor operated facility. They have, or used to have, a small Hospital there but not civil service positions. In total there were only a couple dozen military and civil service positions there and they were mostly contract oversight types of assignments in their specific area of expertise.
I spent 3 years there and that started me on reefkeeping.

Hawaii, Guam and Okinawa would be my recommendations.

We spent 3 years at NAS Key West and loved it. That was about 23 years ago. I know it has downsized since then, but I don't know anything about the hospital there. I personally would love to move to somewhere like Okinawa, Hawaii or Guam. Hope you find what you are looking for.

Did you ever move?

We were stationed at NS Gulfport, MS for a while, near Biloxi. I don't remember any good snorkeling or scuba.

I did a lot of diving when we were stationed in at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico but I think it's closed :(

I applied for a specialty nursing job in Okinawa. I got a response that read "you met qualifications and your resume has been forwarded to the hiring office". This was 4 months ago. I didn't get a rejection letter yet, so I'm feeling positive.

So
If you were to move back; what reefing supplies would you take with you? Was there anything difficult to get?

Keesler AFB has second largest AF hospital. It's really close to a lot of good snorkeling areas. I just wouldn't snorkel anywhere here in Biloxi though!

I highly recommend you bring everything you want to have. There are not many large tanks(100g+) sold in Okinawa or the supplies and equipment you're used to. If you find something, it will cost you a pretty penny. I'm in Okinawa and I order everything online. Luckily I brought my tank with me. Check out the Okinawa Saltwater Aquarium on FB.

Thanks for the input.
Are T5 bulbs available there and are they compatible with US fixtures?

I tried to get stationed somewhere like that, but for infantry there was not much available

I was deployed to Okinawa back in the day and we would snorkel after work. It was AmAzInG!!!

Oki!
 

Yes, I was deployed to Okinawa in 2003 at Camp Hansen. It was so fun there honestly. Alot better than the desert! Great snorkeling experience. I also got my divers certificate as well which was a plus!
Cheers

I'm heading to kwajalein at the end of the year. Can I bring back any coral in my checkbag or is it a no no?