Our country as a whole is very proud and patriotic, and nowhere is that sense of national pride cultivated more than in our military towns. As a proud resident of San Diego, I’ve lived around the military for as long as I can remember, and in my hometown of Coronado, our military presence is all the more evident. It’s a rare sight to see an empty sky over the city, as it is usually dotted with fighter jets and military helicopters hovering around the beach. At night, I’ve heard the staccato rhythm of target practice sessions, and during the day, you’re almost 100 percent likely to run into a service member in uniform, whether they’re ordering Mexican takeout or just walking amongst the rest of the crowd. During our Fourth of July parade, which draws in people from all over the country, you can watch all the American-themed cars, parade floats and army vehicles cruise down Orange Avenue. Hardly a day goes by where you don’t notice the vibrantly patriotic culture that makes my town, and every other U.S. military town, so unique. However, there are several ups and downs about living in such an environment that I have seen and experienced for most of my life.

One of the biggest pros to living in a military town is the sense of community. We may have our differences in Coronado, but our love for the armed forces is what brings us together. When Navy SEAL Charles Keating gave his life for our country in our war against ISIS, we were all joined in our grief and sorrow. Every year, on September 11^th, this sense of national mourning and pride unites us once again. We cherish our national holidays like no other town in America, and we are proud of our service members who risk their lives every day on foreign soil to protect the freedoms we hold dear. With so many veterans returning from Afghanistan with PTSD, depression and anxiety disorders, it is vital for them to live in an environment where they can expect the support of the community and the resources they need to transition from military to civilian life.

If you’ve ever been to Coronado, you may have noticed that almost everyone in town is friendly and courteous. This is where the sense of community that makes us special shines out for everyone to see. It’s entirely common for strangers to say hi to each other, the crime rate is practically non-existent, and almost everyone knows everyone else. While living in a tight-knit community is a great way to feel like you’re actually part of a group rather than just an anonymous face in a huge city, there are also some cons to living in a small town.

First of all, stories and gossip tend to spread very rapidly among members of the community, so if you did something especially embarrassing last Saturday and someone posted it on Snapchat, it’s a safe bet that most of the town is going to know. The same goes for controversial social media posts. If you offended someone who follows you or is your friend, you have a fair chance of running into them at some point, which is bound to be an awkward situation. Outside of the digital world, there’s also a very high possibility that you’re going to run into someone you’re familiar with as you walk around town, which means that you need to put some effort into your appearance on a daily basis. There’s also a lot more uniformity in what people choose to wear, as opposed to places like Ocean Beach and downtown San Diego, where clothing options tend to be more liberal and sometimes outlandish. In small towns like these, it can be tough to truly be yourself without facing judgment from the people you know.

However, I can’t always complain about the proximity of everything. Not many people can say that they have the supermarket, the doctor, the bank, and an Italian restaurant all within a one-mile radius. In high school, we had off-campus lunch for upperclassmen, and my favorite pizza place was only a five minute walk from campus. We have everything we need in a relatively tiny amount of space, with the exception of a shopping mall. While the fact that everything is always so close eliminates the sense of privacy you would get in a larger city, it also makes our lives much easier. All schools are within biking distance no matter where you live in town, so parents don’t have to drive their kids to school. It’s also a very economical advantage, especially in a place with exorbitant gas prices and virtually no free parking.

I’m truly blessed to be able to call Coronado my hometown. Knowing that countless people would work day and night to be able to live here, I am always grateful of the fact that I can spend a safe, happy life in one of the United State's greatest military towns.