Originally Posted by
rickair7777
I think their reasoning for the SAN is fundamentally hotel costs. Pilot hiring pool would seem like a secondary consideration, but it's not just about hiring, it's also about retention.
Lemoore is irrelevant, almost nobody puts down roots there, it has more in common with Minot AFB in that regard. SAN is a fleet concentration center, you have opportunities for multiple tours over your career, so it's easy to get roots. And a nice place to live.
You can spend an entire career in Lemoore (eww lol) so you could easily plant roots there. Even if you don't, you're close enough to the Bay to consider airline basing there. There is a lot of military near San Diego, that is for sure but again it is going to cowm down to actually marketing and attracting those who are alraedy down there. That will take some time to staff that base with non-commuters.