More research...there is a VA medical facility in Lakewood, which is a short distance from the McChord AFB end of JBLM, and there is one in Vancouver, WA. Maybe the Vancouver site would work best for you (except for the fact that is is 120 miles from the JBLM commissary.

I'm not a DOD retiree so I have no personal experience to relate.

Oregon has an income tax but Washington does not. Oregon has no sales tax. I favor living within 5 miles of the Columbia River on the Washington side. Do most of your shopping in Oregon.

Lots of people feel this way, and consequently the commute to/from Vancouver is the worst of all of them in Portland. So keep that in mind.

I too would pick the Metropolitan area where he gets a job. We keep hearing how the jobs have picked up here, but we have had several friends' families who have gone years of temporary jobs and breaks in employment and even when they were finally hired they never achieved anywhere near their prior salary. So I am not sure what the truth is on that point. I would mention that besides Portland State, Oregon Institute of Technology (also a public college) now has classes in Wilsonville with several certificate programs.

Are you able to buy a home or will you be renting? I think it may be difficult to find a landlord who will accept your pitbulls in the Portland metro area. The trend of apartments near me is not to allow them or a couple of other breeds. Renting a rural or semi-rural house on land would be preferable to a bad neighborhood.

Does your husband's branch of service have a savings union? You will want to join before he retires. The opportunities for home loans etc are generally more favorable than a bank.