[Norwell]

Many Navy folks retire to the desert because there are a fair number of installations (San Diego, Twenty Nine Palms) in the desert.

The same phenomena applies to Army folks in the Southeast.

Bottom line is most of them end up there after their hitch. If you are from New England it is tough to get home.

[discostu]

Not that desert, I mean where I am, Tucson AZ. Where the nearest ocean is 6 hours drive away (coincidentally in San Diego). The real desert. 29 Stumps is OK, but it's not a very dry heat. There's tons of Navy guys out here. And Marines, you see a lot of the black red and gold window stickers. Technically this is an Air Force town, but the retirees never seem to stick around. I think maybe they just get sick of water. Or maybe they don't want the reminder. My father-in-law stoped riding in planes the minute he retired.