Page 178 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2016

THEFINALSAY RICHARD
R. MOSS
Brigadier General, USAF (Retired)
During my 38 years in the Air Force, I was lucky enough to serve my country and spend my career doing what
I love — flying airplanes all over the world, being in command of four different Air Force Reserve Wings, and helping personnel to achieve their dreams and goals. Largely due to the outstanding personnel I worked with who made me look good, I was fortunate to retire as a Brigadier General.
I lived in locations throughout the United States from California to Florida, from Texas to Minnesota and several places in between during my military career. However, my last assignment was at Keesler Air Force Base as the Commander of the 403d Wing — home of the Flying Jennies and the “world famous” Hurricane Hunters.
When it came time to retire, I was faced with one of the biggest decisions of my life: where do I go now? Where was the perfect place to retire and enjoy life after the Air Force? When I finally decided to stay in Biloxi, my friends would always ask me: “Biloxi, why stay there? It’s hot, it’s humid, and it has hurricanes.” However, they overlooked the many advantages Biloxi has to offer.
One can never forget the benefits of living in Biloxi as
a military retiree. The Coast communities have embraced the military as an integral component of their culture. I had never experienced such a strong bond between the military and the local communities. Keesler Air Force
Base has all the amenities (base exchange, commissary, personnel services, etc.) desired by a retired person. It has one of the finest medical facilities in the Air Force, which coupled with the local Veterans Administration facility, provides a military retiree with the medical care they need and deserve. Mississippi is also one of the few states where retired pay is non-taxable.
The climate was definitely another reason to stay.
There are few places where you can enjoy outdoor activities virtually 365 days a year. Even on the days when it’s hot and humid, there is always the sea breeze to lessen the impact. It’s true that hurricanes can sometimes be a “minor irritant” but I decided I would definitely take that chance compared to living with snow, ice storms, tornados, etc.
One of the primary reasons I stayed here is the people. Their culture, while deeply rooted in the past, also looks to the future. Southern hospitality is truly evident; people know and care about each other. People are resilient and self reliant. This was never more evident than the way
the communities came together to rebound from the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. Yet, if one desires the benefits of the big city without the congestion, traffic, high cost of living and other annoyances, Biloxi offers truly outstanding restaurants, Broadway type shows, headliner concerts, casinos, and art museums available for your pleasure. To put it simply, Biloxi offers small town living with the all the amenities of the big city.
But I must confess, the main reason is that I found a “Biloxi Belle” and married her. To uproot Miss Suzy and deprive her of her beloved Biloxi was not something I wanted to do.
To paraphrase a popular song, “Biloxi (not Chicago) is my kind of town, Biloxi is.” I am extremely proud to call Biloxi my home forever.
178 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • July 2016
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