Funny you mention that year - that's the year I left Fort Lewis, WA. Tacoma. Got there in 1992, and the PNW was heaven. 12 years of my life, and I watched WA go downhill (the whole area, the whole PNW, which in part, is BC, too. Same mentalities ripped right up our West Coast, and kept going up into Canada...)
It was all political, all geared towards taking care of people that DO NOT take care of themselves, in the first place. Handouts. Gradually, over the 12 years I lived there. Give those that don't give one shiit - More. MAKE them less productive, that way. MAKE them take advantage of your free handouts... MAKE more of them move there... for free shiit that you advertise.
100% political. LEFT political, in case I wasn't clear on those policies...
When I left there was a good time to leave. I'd have 24-hr Staff Duty at the unit, and run out for a coffee to the 7-11 in Tillicum (directly out the Madigan Gate of Ft Lewis) at 3 am, and I'd go in there intentionally mean-mugging the gang-bangers. I'm here for coffee - YOU make your choice, right now, or walk away. Absolutely horrible situation, all around - can't imagine it as a civilian, living there. The gang-bangers knew - you don't fuk with someone in uniform. It wasn't because they respected the uniform, at all. They just knew that 1st Special Forces Group was there, and 2d Ranger Bn was there - and we're all dressed the same, all soldiers. They didn't wanna take that chance on fukking with someone in uniform - didn't know what they'd get, if they started shiit. You might get to mug a Soldier - you, and all your friends might get your ass handed to you, phone calls made, and you might end up getting your entire city gang-banger block wiped out for your stupid decisions. They just weren't willing to take that chance. The bangers in the area learned from Hilltop.