Fairfield

Anthony Swofford is a writer and former United States Marine known for being the author of the book Jarhead, published in 2003, which is primarily... based on his accounts of various situations encountered in the first Gulf War. This memoir was the basis of the 2005 movie of the same name, directed by Sam Mendes. The title is derived from the name of the traditional high and tight haircuts favored by the Marines. In his own words Swofford describes his younger self, before and during his time in the Marine Corps, as "a reader and a loner". Born into a military family, Swofford was raised living on a military base. His father had served in Vietnam, and before that his grandfather had fought in World War II. In fact, he was conceived in Honolulu while his father was on a 24-hour break from fighting in Vietnam. Terrified of being a failure in a 'normal' life, Swofford wanted to join the Marines from an early age, as he saw it as "an entry into manhood". However Swofford's father was against his joining, and the first of two recruiters to visit were escorted from the house.
more

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third most extensive . It is home to the nation's second- and sixth-largest census statistical areas , and eight of the nation's fifty most populated cities . The capital city is Sacramento. California's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west, to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east – from the... Redwood–Douglas-fir forests of the northwest, to the Mojave Desert areas in the southeast. The center of the state is dominated by Central Valley, a major agricultural area. California contains both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States , and has the third-longest coastline of all states . Earthquakes are a common occurrence due to the state's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire: about 37,000 are recorded annually.
more