Once part of a modest tobacco farm on the North Carolina coastline, Marine Corps Air Station New River is the largest Marine Corps helicopter base on the East Coast. New River is home to an impressive array of rotary-wing aircraft (helicopters) including the AH-1W Super Cobra, MV-22 Osprey (tiltrotor aircraft), the CH-53-E Super Stallion, and the UH-1N Huey. The Second Marine Aircraft Wing, two Marine Aircraft Groups, Osprey squadrons, and several premier training units also call New River home.

MCAS New River lies on its namesake river, bordered by Camp Lejeune’s training areas and the city of Jacksonville. New River’s base motto is “Pardon our Noise; It’s the Sound of Freedom,” so you’ll want to know where the flight path is before deciding where to live! MCAS New River offers base housing and numerous MCCS services. Camp Lejeune is only a 10-minute drive around the river and provides additional base housing, and amenities for Marines and their families. MCAS Cherry Point is roughly 90 minutes away, and sometimes there’s a chance of going there for a follow-on assignment—so you might consider that when choosing where to live.

Here on the eastern edge of North Carolina, pine tree forests give way to sandy beaches and barrier islands. The picturesque coastal city of Wilmington is roughly an hour south and the state capital, Raleigh, is a little over two hours inland. The pace is slow and the accents are thick, but the locals love their Marines and military families!