DUTY STATION COMPARISON
Kirtland AFB vs Naval Station Everett
Air Force, NM vs Navy, WA
Kirtland AFB: "Nukes, Lasers, Green Chile, and Breaking Bad Tours." Naval Station Everett: "The Navy's Newest Homeport, Built Specifically So You'd Be Closer to Rain." Different branches, same dawning realization: the duty station changed you more than you changed it.
The whole-family version of this comparison: Kirtland AFB keeps your finances stable. Naval Station Everett keeps them "interesting" — and in military finance, "interesting" is never a compliment. For spouses: Sandia Labs and Los Alamos are major STEM employers at Kirtland AFB. At Naval Station Everett: Good market — Boeing Everett factory is a major employer. The off-post reality that defines day-to-day life: Albuquerque, NM versus Everett, WA. Everything else is logistics.
One base you'll miss for what it gave you. The other you'll miss for what it cost you. Both leave marks the DD-214 doesn't mention.
Air Force — NM
High desert — hot dry summers, mild winters, 300 days of sun
“Nukes, Lasers, Green Chile, and Breaking Bad Tours”
Navy — WA
Mild and rainy Pacific Northwest marine climate
“The Navy's Newest Homeport, Built Specifically So You'd Be Closer to Rain”
Category
Kirtland AFB
Naval Station Everett
Climate
High desert — hot dry summers, mild winters, 300 days of sun
Mild and rainy Pacific Northwest marine climate
Nearest City
Albuquerque, NM (5 min)
Everett, WA (5 min)
Nearest Airport
Albuquerque Sunport (ABQ) — 5 min (on base). Decent hub with direct flights to major cities.
Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) — 40 min without traffic; Paine Field (PAE, Everett) — 10 min (limited commercial service via Alaska Airlines)
Housing
Privatized by Corvias on base. Off-base in ABQ affordable — $1,200-$1,600 for a 3BR. NE Heights, Sandia Heights, Rio Rancho popular.
On-base housing (Corvias) — limited inventory, 3-6 month waitlists. Off-base in Everett, Marysville, Lake Stevens, and Mukilteo: $1,800-$2,500 for a 3BR. Marysville and Lake Stevens are more affordable as Seattle prices push north.
Spouse Employment
Sandia Labs and Los Alamos are major STEM employers. UNM and healthcare strong. Defense contractors present. Reasonable market.
Good market — Boeing Everett factory is a major employer. Seattle tech corridor (Amazon, Microsoft) commutable. Healthcare, retail, and education jobs locally. One of the better PNW options for spouses.
Medical
Kirtland Clinic (377th Medical Group) — clinic only. VA Medical Center on base. UNM Hospital is Level I trauma center.
Naval Station Everett Branch Health Clinic — primary care only. Providence Regional Medical Center Everett for emergencies. Naval Hospital Bremerton (ferry + drive) or Madigan AMC (JBLM, 1.5 hrs) for full military hospital.
Gate Commute
Gibson gate and Wyoming gate main entries. 5-10 min delays at peak. ABQ traffic manageable.
Main gate off Marine View Drive — moderate delays during shift changes. I-5 is the headache — Seattle-bound commuters face heavy traffic. Sounder commuter train from Everett to Seattle is an alternative.