Anyone know

[mandragora]

Of some place where there's a US military base near a university? Preferably with a decent maths department (yes, I know Americans call it math *g*). Oh, and both must have been around in the early 1970s. And located actually in the US

I want John Sheppard's father to have been posted there, in case anyone was wondering. I don't think we know canonically whether John's father was in the military at all, but for story purposes I've decided to make him a military officer. I'm undecided whether he should be air force or army (although not navy) so either an air force or army base works.

Many thanks in hope. *g*

ETA: Location of the base must be in the US for plot purposes

Comments

[eleanorb.livejournal.com]

Don't know about the US but, there's always Mildenhall near Cambridge if you want a 'travelled to Europe' bachground :-)

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the suggestion, but sadly it won't work for the story - it really has to be in the US for plot purposes.

Looking at my post I see I didn't state that, so am off to amend to make that clear.

Cambridge... Has a more than 'decent' maths department, though, so nice thought. *g*

[keletkezes.livejournal.com]

I'm assuming you mean in the US, cos I can think of a couple in Germany...

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I am thinking of the US, thanks. I edited the post to make that clear, but presumably you're still reading the pre-edit version...

[keletkezes.livejournal.com]

Yes, after I posted it it ahowed the edited version >)

[uschickens.livejournal.com]

My military knowledge is slight at best, but I *do* know, from driving past it a bunch of times recently, that Ft. Belvoir is located just south of Washington, DC in Virginia. Page on Ft. Belvoir in the post-WWII erea. Then you've got Georgetown, George Washington, George Mason, and a host of other universities in the general area. (It looks like there are also four other army posts in the area, and I'm pretty sure there's navy/air force stuff in the greater DC/Baltimore area, too.)

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Oooh, thanks. Sounds good. Er, do you know which is the best university? I have very little knowledge of US universities other than having at least heard of the obvious Ivy League ones.

[uschickens.livejournal.com]

Some may quibble, but I'd say for the most part, Georgetown is generally held to be the best/most prestigious university in DC. It's actually *in* the District, probably fifteen to twenty miles north of Belvoir. Founded in 1789, major research university, ranked #23 in the nation, etc etc <a href="http://www.georgetown.edu</a>etc</a>. (And I'm not just saying that because I lived in their dorms one summer. ;)

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Great! This is exactly what I need.

And, hey, what are doing online so early/late where you are? *g*

Me, I'm just dashing off to court. I was meant to go anyway, but have just learnt that a long-standing client has just been brought in and needs legal representation, despite having declined legal advice earlier. It's okay, though, the client is only up for robbery...(the stupidity of declining legal advice in those circumstances is mind-boggling!)

[luthien.livejournal.com]

No idea of US military bases, but the bio of Sheppard on the scifi channel website says that he's "the son of a respected Cold War colonel", so that's at least semi-canonical until actual canon confirms or contradicts.

San Diego

[http://users.livejournal.com/_la_la_la/]

Having graduated from Georgetown, I'd have to say that it's not known for its math program -- the most prestigious programs for Georgetown are the School of Foreign Service and its pre-med program.

On the other hand, UC San Diego is well known for its sciences, and close to several military bases:
http://home.sandiego.edu/~tmetcalf/index.html (Miramar is where the Top Gun school is located - http://www.geocities.com/merlin_topgun3000/topgunschool.html)
http://math.ucsd.edu/people/index.php?category=by_discipline

Georgetown's only offered an MS in Math since 2006. Its faculty doesn't compare to UCSD.
Hope this helps! (though of course the Washington, DC location gives opportunities to describe a variety of weather situations - cherry blossoms, snow, fall leaves -- whereas San Diego is mostly sun, sun, and more sun)

[filenotch.livejournal.com]

Plugging my area, but...

Hanscom Air Force Base was operating in the 1970's (still is, but it changed in the last BRAC) and it's near Harvard, MIT, Boston College, Brandeis, Tufts, Boston University and about twenty other colleges. It also housed the Air Force Research Lab and the MIT Lincoln Laboratory. A lot of the original human-computer interaction work was done at Lincoln.

If you choose it, I can help you with local details.

[zoerayne]

Adding another possibility:

Lowry Air Base was a functional Air Force base until the 1990s and is about an hour drive from University of Colorado at Boulder (CU Boulder), which has very strong science and math departments.

[treewishes.livejournal.com]

Ah, but Ft. Belvoir is an Army base. Andrews Air Force Base would be more likely, no? And it's the home of Air Force One (the President's plane), so is much more involved in the DC type stuff. Bolling Air Force Base is also nearer-by than Belvoir is.

You might also use Ft. McNair, which is actually in DC, and is where the National War College is. Where people learn all that war strategy stuff.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Actually, army or air force are both fine. But from other comments it sounds as if none of the local universities are suitable, so...

Many thanks for the info, though. Much appreciated.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think it is semi-canon at present - certainly the majority of stories I've read to date posit a military background for John's father. Although IMO until it is canon, writers are equally free to give him a completely different background if they wish.

But the military one works for this particular story, I think.

Re: San Diego

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Ooh, many thanks for the clarification - very useful. I think I'll scratch Georgetown from the list. Ditto my thanks for the suggestions - very welcome.

As for sun, sun, sun, well you know that sounds rather appealing to a Brit. *g* Snow, autumn leaves, cherry blossoms - we have all of those. It's just sun we're lacking in... *rueful smile*

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Ding! We have a winner. Local details, yeah! I'll email you for those and let you know what I have in mind.

Ta very much.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Another great suggestion, dammit! *g*

I think I'm going to go with filenotch's, though, because he promised local details, the tease. *bg*

[zoerayne]

That's probably best. I can give you local detail from around here, but I never attended CU and I was only ever on the base once before it closed down (though now it's a housing community and I've been there).

[kaseido.livejournal.com]

CU Boulder's only about an hour from Colorado Springs, home of the Cheyenne Mountain facility... *g*

... and the USAF Academy

[filenotch.livejournal.com]

Happy to oblige. Boston area is thick with academic institutions.

[filenotch.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to go with filenotch's, though, because he promised local details, the tease.

Damn. If I'd have know you were that easy, I'd a promised 'em years ago.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

*g* Well, you know, John may have gone to CU Boulder before he joined the Air Force. Or went to the USAF Academy, although I think most people who Know About These Things (not me) say it's a tad more likely he joined the Air Force after college and didn't go to the USAF.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

*g* Ah sweetie, I've always been easy...

[kaseido.livejournal.com]

Oh, definitely right - he's not an Academy kind of guy....

There's a *huge* cultural gap between CU Boulder and the Adademy. Not advocating, just saying... *g*

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

*g* Yes, I imagined that might be the case.

John not being an Academy Guy, yes. Although I read a story once where John was a very spit 'n' polish, obey orders, type of guy and then after the Black Mark, he thought 'screw it' and turned into the less than pristine persona we know and love. I thought it was an interesting take on his character.

[elistaire.livejournal.com]

You already probably picked one, but Hanscom Air Force Base is a hop skip and a jump from Harvard.

[elistaire.livejournal.com]

Or, although not in true operation anymore but it was HUGE back then and well known for its techincal labs, Griffis Air Force Base in Rome, NY which is in the middle of NY state, so any SUNY school, a 2 hour drive to Albany or 3 hours to Rochester (RIT), or 45 minutes to Syracuse.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I have picked one...and it's Hanscom! *g* Someone else suggested it, as well, and it's perfect for my needs so...

Many thanks for taking the time to offer Hanscom.

[elistaire.livejournal.com]

Let me know if you need any details. I lived on-base there for two years at the end of the '90s.

And, quick trivia--they mentioned Hanscom in the X-Men 2 movie! (They pronounced it wrong, and they scrambled jets from there, which was silly because it's not that sort of base, but-hey! they mentioned it!)