Fort Polk/Alexandria.. HELP! (Leesville: find a job, neighborhoods, to buy)

[Brittalyse]

I'm moving down to the area at the end of November. My boyfriend will be stationed at Ft. Polk. We're really unsure about where to live. I just graduated from college w/ a finance degree, and I've been searching endlessly for job opportunities down there. It seems like Alexandria might be the best best for me getting a job, but I worry that if we live there then his commute to Ft. Polk will be too long. Is there any nice areas in between? I've also tried looking for jobs in DeRidder, but I'm not sure what the chances of me finding something there or closer to Ft. Polk are. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Rmaf623]

There's not that much between Alexandria and Leesville-Fort Polk, but there are some nice rural neighborhoods immediately to the west of Alexandria along Bayou Rapides, and the Kincaid, Cotile Lake areas. This would put you a little closer to Fort Polk then living in the city of Alexandria itself.

[sailordave]

If you and your boyfriend are into hunting, fishing, or hiking then you'll enjoy that area of Louisiana. I don't know if there's a finance position available but you could also try looking at the VA hospital in that area. The pay isn't going to be as much as a private industry position but it would get you familiar with the military and VA health care system.

[NSUInstructor]

Alexandria would be your best bet for a job. In between Alex and Leesville is pretty much nothing but trees, some lakes and about two gas stations, seriously . I lived in Alexandria and commuted to Leesville for over a year before I finally sucked it up and moved here. My husband has been looking for a job for months since his contracted ended in Nov and he still cannot find a job. The market is dead here.

Your best bet would be to live in between here and Alex and both of you commute. The only problem is you woul have to buy. The market is ridiculously high here because of the soldiers. You will pay a lot for nothing. Plus, they are hard to sell, which will make it hard for you when you leave.

PS- I have a MS and it took me 2 years to get a decent job. I couldn't even get a job at Target or Walmart when I was in Alex. I had to teach to make a living. I just was not use to that coming from a big city in NC. Here it is the "good boy" click. It is who you know, not what you know.