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Motors, a BHPH lot in Yuma, Ariz. While he doesn't do a significant amount of business with the military, he realizes the importance of being recognized as a military-friendly busi- ness in a city within a half-day's drive of Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force installations. "Yuma is a big military town, and a lot [of service members] end up staying the rest of their lives." As Thomas implied, a lot of marketing to the military is word of mouth. That's why Andrade, back in North Carolina, bends over backward to help the elite soldiers of Fort Bragg. "I deal personally with mili- tary," he said. "If I can go the extra mile to make [them] happy, that's what I do." The Chevy dealership offers free pick-up or rentals on oil changes for military personnel who may not have the capability to leave base and travel the 45 miles to Dunn. RANK dealers, however. Since opening his store in 2000, just a year before 9/11, Thomas has endured the boom and bust of six Fort Stewart deployments. In that same period, the larger Fort Bragg has been on near-constant war duty, having thousands of soldiers at any given time in either Iraq or Afghanistan—or both. "When they deploy, so do our sales, and it can be a difficult time for them and us when they have to leave," Thomas said. That's the bust. The booms come Ten largest military BASE hard to satisfy military customers, but many simply don't carry the inventory that offers soldiers an opportunity to stand out. "They love sporty, sexy cars … even odd colors," the Georgia dealer said of young troops. "Dealers that don't carry the inventory mix that works find it challenging," Thomas said of courting the military. installations in the United States MILITARY As Internet sales manager, Andrade worked one-on- one over the summer with a soldier fighting a war on the other side of the globe. From Afghanistan, the sergeant called Andrade to explain what he was looking for in a new vehicle. Andrade located a truck and got the OK from the soldier to move ahead with the deal after send- ing photos over the Web. From Asia, the anxious trooper was able to go through the same process to get the add-ons he wanted in order to make the truck uniquely his. In late September, as the last of thousands of troops returned to Fort Bragg from deployment, Andrade had the truck waiting for the man. "When he got here, he was even more tickled." Deployments can be a problem for 1 ..........Fort Bragg, N.C. (Army) ...................49,802 2 ..........Fort Hood, Texas (Army)..................48,135 3 ..........Norfolk Naval Base, Va. (Navy)........41,098 4 ..........Camp Lejeune, N.C. (Marines) ........39,201 5 ..........Camp Pendleton, Calif. (Marines)....34,782 6 ..........Fort Campbell, Ky. (Army)................33,405 7 ..........Fort Lewis, Wash. (Army).................33,326 8 ..........Fort Carson, Colo. (Army)................25,635 9 ..........Fort Stewart, Ga. (Army)..................24,758 10 ........Fort Bliss, Texas (Army)...................22,143 SOURCE: Demographics 2010: Profile of the Military Community, U.S. Department of Defense prior to a deployment when married soldiers purchase more reliable transportation for the family they're leaving behind or when young soldiers return from a lengthy deployment with a bank account swollen with combat pay. "When they come back, it's a heyday," said Thomas of his Hinesville dealership. "We're selling cars day and night." It's the inventory, stupid If you are going to court the military, any overture is useless without keeping one word in mind: inventory. Thomas said most dealers will work While a new Chevy Sonic that can be customized is popular with many young soldiers at Bleecker's, Andrade said the store tries to keep a wide inventory of used cars to appeal to the varying tastes of soldiers from all walks of life. POPULATION In Yuma, tucked away in the southwestern corner of Ari- zona near the border with California, inventory is also king. "I'm of the philosophy, they wear the same clothes, they're in the same housing [and] their car is the only thing that differentiates them from one another," said Mitchell. "Their car defines who they are. I've believed in that philosophy for many years." "The only thing that makes us distinctive is what we drive," Thomas, the former Army specialist, agreed. The military life can be arduous, plac- ing fresh privates, airman basics and seaman recruits thousands of miles away from family for the first time. In addition to the emotional toll, not having access to a co-signer can make finding credit for a car loan difficult. But the truly military-friendly dealers can give those young men and women a little something extra worth fighting for: the uniquely American freedom of the open road in their own car. 23