I'm also an Officer in the US Navy and have prior enlisted service in the US Marine Corps.

I believe we had it because it was a marine product. 

I grew up in Beaver County, and then went to Yuma for a few years (Marines) and then came back to the area. 

I am in the Marine Corps and will be stationed in Pensacola, FL to begin flight school and my real estate investing career. 

I grew up in Marin and ended up moving to Reno, NV to house hack and still be close to Lake Tahoe.A lot more approachable, but there is also other markets in CA that may work for you as well. 

Purchase price: $3,400,000 Cash invested: $520,000 Property was a marine services business with 70,000+ SF of indoor storage.

Matt: I should have been more specific in my comment - Marin County is a steep market with a long history of increasing rents. 

I am currently overseas (active-duty Marine) looking to be back to CONUS in less than 3 months to get station in Quantico.

I am moving into the Pensacola, FL market in about 3-4 months to start flight training for the Marine Corps.

I was TDY (TAD for you Marine types) to the area for 4 months and lived on Topsail, but often found myself in Swansboro on the weekends.