High Wycombe, United Kingdom

Life in High Wycombe is hardly the glamorous military posting you might imagine. This Royal Air Force station, home to Headquarters Air Command, is tucked away in the woods, with buildings cleverly disguised to preserve secrecy. While the station was originally designed in the 1930s to house RAF Bomber Command, away from the dangers of London, today it serves as the headquarters for the European Air Group and the UK Space Command. With 400 workmen and 80 specialists involved in its initial construction, the bureaucratic machinery here is a persistent headache. Those seeking a quiet, wooded retreat may find High Wycombe suits, but it's hardly the exciting posting most would-be military expats have in mind.