Of all the states in the country, North Carolina has the 4th largest population of active and retired military personnel. The latest data indicates there are an estimated 120,000 active duty personnel living in North Carolina. at the nine military bases.
Military bases in North Carolina:
- Pope Air Force Base – Fayetteville
- Seymour Johnson Air Force Base – Goldsboro
- Fort Bragg – Fayetteville
- Simmons Army Field – Fayetteville
- USCG Air Station – Elizabeth City
- Camp Lejeune Marine Base – Jacksonville
- Cherry Point Air Station – Havelock
- New RIver Air Station – Jacksonville
- Cherry Point Naval Air Depot – North of Havelock
In addition to the active duty, there are over 25,000 soldiers, marines, and airmen that serve in the National Guard or Reserve Forces! Records show that most of these military personnel have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) or Operating Enduring Freedom (OEF).
When these service members are ready to buy a home, it is important that they understand all of the benefits they are entitled to through the VA home loan program. LowVARates specializes in assisting veterans and active duty members in applying for and becoming approved for a VA loan.
“Wow” is a fairly common reaction following an initial viewing of Full Metal Jacket, which is arguably one of the most intense Vietnam-era military movies ever made. Released in 1987, Full Metal Jacket returns us to the late 1960s and the experiences of a group of Marines as they start out in basic training. R. Lee Ermey portrays one of the most memorable military characters of all time in Gunnery Sgt. Hartman, whose in-your-face insults and training methods prepare the Marines for their service in Vietnam.
Saving Private Ryan follows a group of U.S. servicemen in World War II on a “needle in a haystack” search for a Private who is his mother’s last remaining son following the deaths of his brothers. The idea of sacrifice is questioned throughout the film, as the soldiers on the hunt for Private Ryan find themselves face-to-face with the enemy on the search for one man.
Platoon is a Vietnam War film that tells the story of the disenchantment of Chris Taylor, a wealthy American student who volunteers to serve in military during the war. Upon arriving into the fray, Taylor is quickly confronted with the brutal realities of war. The film continues on to showcase the lives and deaths of Taylor and his platoon.
Black Hawk Down is a film based on the events surrounding the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. Although obvious liberties were taken in the creation of the movie from a book written by Michael Durant, an American soldier who was captured and later released, the film does follow the events leading up to the loss of two American helicopters into the heart of Mogadishu. With thousands of Somali militiamen in the streets, the soldiers are faced with constant assault.
Top Gun takes the military motif into the wild blue yonder of the sky. True to his call name Maverick, Lt. Pete Mitchell is a talented, albeit rebellious Naval pilot who gets a shot at the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School. During the training, Maverick and his sidekick Goose both impress and enrage their fellow pilots and trainers. Fast flying and hard hitting, Top Gun truly is one of the best military movies of all time.
6. Heartbreak Ridge
The Hunt for Red October is to the seas what Top Gun is to the skies. The film centers on the Red October, a Soviet nuclear submarine captained by Marko Ramius. Fearing what the Soviet government has planned with the submarine’s secret silent propulsion system, Ramius defects to the U.S., a fact initially unbeknownst to the U.S.S. Dallas, which sees the Red October as a rogue threat.
The only Civil War movie to make our list, Glory focuses on the efforts of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The 54th was comprised primarily of African-American soldiers, most of which were freeborn Northerners but some of which were freed or escaped slaves. Glory follows the regiments training and subsequent struggle to earn the respect and glory associated with battle.
G.I. Jane is a fictional film that centers on the admission of Lt. Jordan O’Neil to the U.S. Navy’s Special Warfare Group. As the first woman to undergo the training, Lt. O’Neil is forced to deal with obstacles of sexism and tokenism in her attempt to be taken seriously and to successfully complete the training.
Our only military comedy on the list, Stripes shines a comedic light on military basic training and overseas service. Front and center in the film is Bill Murray as John Winger, a ne’er-do-well who manages to bumble his way through basic training with the help of his best friend. Eventually deployed to Italy, their own stupidity has them wandering into Soviet territory, eventually leading a successful mission against a Soviet base.
