Lejeune Memorial Gardens

Jacksonville is one of the most military-esque towns I've ever set foot in. I will admit they are few but this town just exudes Marine Corps. It's like 7 degrees of Marine Corps instead of Kevin Bacon here. Everyone is either a Marine, is married to one, or a child of one. And therefore, this town has a bad wrap. Damn Marines!

Jacksonville and Camp Lejeune have been growing on me. Sure, the town is spread out and there is no rhyme or reason to its organization. Transplanting here from California, the state that specializes in city planning, haphazard neighborhoods are annoying. Jacksonville is also a little dirty, not just 'not clean' kind of dirty, but rundown hotels, strip clubs, tattoo parlors, and ecetera kind of dirty. On the other hand, there are little pockets of greatness that I find endearing about our new home.

Lejeune Memorial Gardens is one of those pleasant surprises that I could spend more time in often. It's an urban garden with several military monuments honoring service members from Vietnam, Beirut, and public service passing in 9/11. The whole place is paved walkways, trees canopies, and strategically placed benches. An cool oasis we happened upon on one of our Yelp coffee finds.

I am really impressed the city would designate this 15,000 acre park to honor fallen service members.   I find it such an incredible honor to our military. I think this place surpasses military friendly. 

I learned the Montford Point Marines was the segregated training camp located on Camp Lejeune. Prior to 1948(9), African Americans who voluntarily joined the Marine were trained a separate camp. I found that really interesting and something I did not know. 

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial

9/11 Memorial

One of the highlights around Camp Lejeune and New River.