E-mail This Page	Print This Page

COMMUNITY TYPE

Military Bastions

Characteristics

Areas with high employment in the military or related to the presence of the military
Home to a large veteran population
Above average number of evangelical Christians
Likely Republican voters, though Democratic President Obama gained ground in 2008

See the communties »

Community Type Demographics

Ethnicity

Presidential Election Results

2004

42%
Kerry

57%
Bush

2008

48%
Obama

51%
McCain

Representative Communities

Community Type Comparison

Percent Military Employment

9.5%
Military Bastions

0.6%
All Counties

Around the Nation

In a military town, some question Afghan war

When the president announces a new military strategy, everyone listens, but some places listen more closely. For the 57 counties that Patchwork Nation lists as “Military Bastions,” those announcements aren’t just about protests or foreign policy; they are about the local economy and the emotional well-being of friends and neighbors.

Even though those places suffer psychologically and economically when their men and women leave, surveys show the communities have been strongly supportive of the military efforts since 2001. Even as President Bush left office wildly unpopular, 27 percent in these communities said Mr. Bush would be remembered as an ...

Obama engages on healthcare with high approval, policy doubts

Less than eight months into Barack Obama’s presidency, it is far too soon to contemplate his chances at reelection. But at this early date, there seems to be one noticeable trait: dissonance between voters’ feelings about the president and feelings about his policies – or at least his party.

We ...

Housing Somewhat Stabilizing in Hampton Roads, But Negative Signs Remain

Serious financial and structural problems within the national and global economies have spread to Hampton Roads and when combined with economic issues peculiar to Hampton Roads, have negatively affected the region’s economic well-being.

Tech Boom Set to Leave Military Sector Behind

Until recently, much of the tech boom in Hampton Roads, a Patchwork Nation Military Bastion, has been tied closely with military applications. But as military spending in the sector begins to plateau after years of solid growth, the industry’s opportunity lies with exploiting its capabilities in non-federal sectors ...

For some in Patchwork Nation, a quieter Independence Day

A party, even to celebrate America’s independence, just didn’t make it into the spending plan in parts of Patchwork Nation.

Nixa, Mo., a socially conservative “Evangelical Epicenter,” ended a 22-year tradition when it canceled its Sky High Fourth of July, a fireworks display. The city’s $4,000 ...