I have lived all over the country, 12 states. For 10 years I had a job that required a ton of travel, about 40 weeks a year. Was great when I was single, married with kids it stunk. But the giid thing is it allowed me to see everything, I have spent time in every major city in North America so when the time was right to settle down and raise my famiily I knew right where I wanted to be. For me that is Charlotte, NC.
Mountians? 2 hours.
Ocean? 3 hours
All the fun of a large city? 30 Minutes
Wide open spaces and peace? 10 minutes
Racing? 2 minutes
Perfect weather for my taste, nice people as you find all over the Southeast, values you want you kids to learn, etc...
The perfect spot is different for everyone, find a job with a ton of travel early in your after Navy career to find your spot, let your employer pay for you exploring the country.