Choosing Dayton as Their Home Base

Military service members and veterans have plenty of great reasons to move to Dayton and Southwest Ohio.

By Lindsey Hyde on June 22, 2023

Jeff Adkins

A strong sense of community, great career opportunities, affordable living options – there are plenty of reasons people love living in Dayton. While alluring to all, this city’s amenities and resources make it especially suitable for veterans and service members transitioning out of the military. In fact, over 9,000 veterans have already made the move to Dayton.

One is Rafi Rodriguez, who retired from the Air Force after 26 years in 2004. He and his family, who had been stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base since 2000, chose to make Dayton their permanent residence.

“When you have Wright-Patterson and so many military and civil service members who retire in the local area, that gives you a sense of belonging in a community where people understand what the military is all about,” Rodriguez says.

Proximity to Base

While it makes sense to live near Wright-Patterson AFB – the largest employer in the state – while on active duty, there are many benefits to having it nearby before and after retirement. For example, transitioning service members who move to Dayton can use the base’s Military & Family Readiness Center, which offers everything from resume writing to personal finance counseling.

“We have a great transition program with a lot of education about finding new careers, a staff dedicated to connecting wounded warriors with VA benefits, and (the Department of Defense) now has a robust program called SkillBridge that actually allows transitioning military to leave six months early to work for a company while still earning Air Force pay,” says Col. Christopher Meeker, commander of the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson AFB.

In addition to its transition program, the base provides numerous civilian and contractor positions.

“Although I decided to open my own business (Rodriguez Financial Strategies), I never doubted that I could find a position if I decided to go work for the contractors,” Rodriguez says. “As a matter of fact, I had to turn positions down.”

While finding a great job is a perk of staying in the area, many service members also develop strong friendships while stationed here – relationships they can continue to grow as civilians.

Hannah Carranza

Strong Connections

Speaking of growing relationships, while feeling part of a community doesn’t happen overnight, a nonprofit called Blue Star Families of Dayton & Southwestern Ohio works hard to speed up the process for active, transitioning and retired military members and their families.

“We strive to make military family life awesome,” says Geri Lynn Maples, director of the Dayton and Southwestern Ohio chapter. “We give them a supportive network in their community where they know they have a sense of belonging and their community understands their uniqueness.”

Along with holding events throughout the year to facilitate those connections, Blue Star Families works to fight food insecurity, create support circles, provide career resources for spouses and much more.

Quality Care

When it comes to health care post-service, former military members in the area can count on the Dayton VA Medical Center, which has been serving veterans since 1867. From oncology and neurology to mental health and optometry, the center provides veterans with a full range of care.

“I have used the VA a couple times,” Rodriguez says. “That’s a big deal. That’s a major facility to help veterans with medical needs.”

Jeff Adkins

Ample Amenities

In addition to health care, Dayton is flourishing with amenities. For example, the area is home to a great selection of restaurants as well as attractions like the National Museum of the United States Air Force and Grotto Gardens, which pays tribute to the region’s military history. Plus, the region’s low cost of living makes a move to Dayton easy on your wallet.  

“Your dollar goes really far here when it comes to buying real estate. There are really good communities, ample community activities. The entertainment is good,” Rodriguez says. “The quality of life is excellent.” 

Larry Burgess

Great Educational Options for Military Members

Whether it’s during or following their service, many military members who move to Dayton can build upon their education. Southwest Ohio offers several standout institutions just waiting to help military members achieve their education and career goals.

Air Force Institute of Technology

Located on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the Air Force Institute of Technology works to educate both military and civilian defense professionals to accomplish the U.S. Air and Space Forces’ deterrence and warfighting missions. It does this by providing world-class, defense-focused and research-enabled advanced academic education as well as continuing education options.

The institute is made up of a nonresident civilian institution program and four schools – the Civil Engineer School, the Graduate School of Engineering and Management, the School of Systems and Logistics, and the School of Strategic Force Studies.

Each year, the institute provides professional continuing education to approximately 30,000 students in civil engineering, acquisition and logistics, nuclear studies, space operations, and cyberspace operations career fields.

University of Dayton

Southwest of the base is the University of Dayton, which is known for its excellent support of military-affiliated students. The university was included on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges for Veterans list for the 2022-23 school year, and it was a recent recipient of Ohio’s Collegiate Purple Star designation for being supportive and inclusive of military-connected students.

In addition to being able to choose from more than 80 undergraduate and 50 graduate and doctoral programs, military-affiliated students have access to the Military and Veteran Programs and Services (MVPS) Center located near the heart of campus. The center advises military-affiliated students on how to best use their education benefits, connects them with student success centers on campus and provides them with a Student Success Lounge, where they can relax, study and network.

“Our mission is to make University of Dayton a top choice for veteran and military-affiliated students,” says Sam Surowitz, director of the MVPS. “We do this by providing enhanced access to programs and services, and we’re committed to linking their leadership and service experiences with learning and scholarship from the undergraduate to the doctorate level.”

Along with the MVPS, the university has several military-related groups to ensure current and former service members become part of a community while on campus. Examples include the Student Veterans Association, and Veterans and Military Advocacy Group.

“What our students get from our center and from the university as a whole is really difficult to match,” Surowitz says. “We care about our students. We want to see them succeed.”