Base Profile: Camp Lejeune, NC

Information provided by: Cassy Chesser

Base size: Over 40,000 Marines and sailors JUST aboard Camp Lejeune. That number grows when you add in the five satellite bases here: Camp Johnson, MCAS New River, Camp Geiger, Stone Bay, and Courthouse Bay.

On-base housing: Enlisted housing is mostly new, very nice houses. Hero's Manor rivals the older officer housing. Aim for Tarawa Terrace (which is both enlisted AND officer housing), Midway Park, or Hero's Manor.

Off-base housing: Jacksonville, NC is a very small town, and there's not really a "bad" area to live in. You have a lot of options if you don't want to live close to base: Richlands, Hubert, Swansboro, Wilmington, Sneads Ferry, etc.

Exchange and commissary: Both are relatively small and don't have a lot of selection. Like all bases, they are extremely crowded, especially on payday. The commissary has case lot sales on a pretty regular basis, and if you want a type of food that they don't carry, you can have them order it for you at no additional cost to you.

Attractions/things to do: Mike's Farm, Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium, the Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington, Cape Lookout. The city of Wilmington itself is an "attraction", as there's more to do there than there is in Jacksonville. There are also lots of beaches and fishing spots. A lot of people hunt around here as well.

Pros and cons: The base itself is VERY large, and there's a LOT to do on base. They provide a lot of recreational activities, especially for families, at no cost whatsoever to you. Because Jacksonville is small, the commute isn't bad outside of rush hour traffic. And while Jacksonville IS small, it's growing very quickly. It will probably be a completely different city in five years. The locals here can be kind of rude. There is not very much to do in Jacksonville. There is a dinky little mall and a ton of chain restaurants, but that's about it. You have to drive to do just about anything. You can't go anywhere without running into Marines, including boots from SOI who like to run around in the middle of the street (literally!).

Important numbers: The base operator can be reached at (910) 451-1113. PMO can be reached at (910) 451-2557. There are multiple housing communities, and each unit has it's own FRO.

Additional information: Any base is what you make of it. It's easy to only look at negatives, but over time, Jacksonville can easily grow on you. It's definitely more of a family-friendly place and gives a slower-paced lifestyle, which can be a positive or a negative, depending on how you look at it! Camp Lejeune is VERY loud. There are constant artillery and helicopters flying overhead. Depending on where you live, expect to hear loud booms occasionally and helicopters flying low over your house. This can and will make your walls shake.