FReeper Canteen ~ Road Trip: Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California ~ 12 JULY 2011

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | laurenmarlowe

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

~The FReeper Canteen Presents~

Road Trip: Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California

Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego is a United States Marine Corps military installation in San Diego, California. It lies between San Diego Bay and Interstate 5, adjacent to Lindbergh Field and the former Naval Training Center San Diego.

MCRD San Diego's main mission is the initial training of enlisted male recruits living west of the Mississippi River. Over 21,000 recruits are trained each year. The Depot also is the home to the Marine Corps' Recruiter School and Western Recruiting Region's Drill Instructors School.

Marine Corps presence in San Diego dates back to July 1914, but ground was not broken for a permanent base until 2 March 1919, after Joseph Henry Pendleton (for whom Camp Pendleton was later named) successfully fought for a base in the area.

By 1921, the base was formally commissioned and in 1923, it became the primary recruiting center for the west coast. During World War II, the base almost exclusively dealt with recruiting. In 1948, the base was formally named Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.

Recruit training for those enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, also referred to as boot camp, includes a thirteen week process during which the recruit becomes cut off from the civilian world and must adapt to a Marine Corps lifestyle.

During training, the drill instructors train recruits in a wide variety of subjects including weapons training, Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, personal hygiene and cleanliness, close order drill, and Marine Corps history. The training emphasizes physical fitness and recruits must attain a minimum standard of fitness to graduate.

 This standard includes a Physical Fitness Test. Recruits must also meet minimum combat-oriented swimming qualifications, qualify in rifle marksmanship with the M16A2 service rifle.

Unlike training at Parris Island, recruits must leave the depot to conduct field training. The second three-week phase is spent at Edson Range aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, where recruits fire on the rifle range. At the conclusion, recruits return to San Diego, but will return at the end of recruit training for the 56-hour "culminating" event called The Crucible.

Learn More About Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego HERE!!

The Marine Corps Recruit Depot Command Museum boasts one of the most extensive and comprehensive displays of Marine Corps historical items in the Nation. The Museum has over 150,000 annual visitors and occupies 22,233 square feet of indoor space.

The Mission at the MCRD Command Museum is “To provide an educational setting that portrays the legacy of the Marine Corps for the training of recruits and the continuing education of Marines, that functions as a supporting arm to the recruiting effort, and that serves as a bridge to the civilian community.”

Visit The MCRD Command Museum HERE!!

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT~Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before. 

Please remember: The Canteen is a place to honor and entertain our troops. The Canteen is family friendly. Let's have fun!

We pray for your continued strength, to be strong in the face of adversity.

We pray for your safety, that you will return to your families and friends soon.

We pray that your hope, courage, and dignity remain unbroken, so that you may show others the way.

God Bless You All ~ Today, Tomorrow and Always

 

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, my...((HUGS))...right across the street. That’s about as close as it gets without being there.

[CT]

Made that visit over 45 years ago, myself. My dad over 70 years ago. And my son, five.

Here's to my now-former MARsoc son's buddy - and new DI - that was just married in Chicago to his sweetheart, Kristin. Thanks, Mark. For keeping Trav safe, and continuing the tradition. OhhRah.

[mylife]

I looked at the joint every morning while conducting my job.

I went to recruit school on the other side or MCRD at the NRD SD when I was a nub

NRD SD is no longer there
I was married on that damn base.

[mylife]

NRC SD

Sheesh

[Kathy in Alaska]

Aloha, Hawaii...((HUGS))...the Navy got to train with the Marines? Or just on their turf?

[mylife]

Even worse RTC SD

Man I have blocked those days from my mind

Sigh..It was Recruit Training Command that is gone.
Damn Acronymns!!

The Marine training Depot and the Navy Depot shared a fence.
Navelexsyscom was across I-5 in the old General Dynamics facility

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, AZ, for the red, white, and blue tribute.

Hope your commute was an easy one....minimal traffic and livestock. *HUGS*

[Kathy in Alaska]

Love your car. LOL!! ((HUGS))

[Kathy in Alaska]

You are most welcome. Hope your knee is doing well.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Memories of "home"....we thank you, Mike, for your service to our country.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Lots of memories there.

[BIGLOOK]

My mistake, Night Owl. Didn't go tho MCRD in San Diego but went to Camp Pendleton for weapons training while I was attending SERE at North Island.

It was the photo of Gen'l Pendleton that brought back memories of all the good times I had had with the Marines.

Just on their turf....there wasn't any other way at Pendleton but having served with Marines on our crew and in DaNang though, it quickly became evident that any turf ( or Air space) became 'Ours'. Good policy.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Norm...thanks for sharing your memories.

We thank you for your service to our country.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, AZ .44 MAG.....funny hats, huh? LOL!!

We thank you for your service to our country.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Very cool....glad any turf was "yours". God Bless you all for your service to our country.

[Kathy in Alaska]

God Bless you good, Mac. Good night and rest well. Thanks for helping honor our troops, past and present. Thank you for your service to our country.

[Forty-Niner]

Huts? Quonset huts? You must have had it easy. When I went thru Boot there we were assigned 8 man tents......late fall, cold and damp.

I have fond memories of MCRD as, after ITR, I returned there and spent another 11 months in school. It was fun watching recruit training from the other side.....although it seemed quite serious as a boot, the DI’s, behind your back, are laughing their tails off at the goofy things the boots do.

I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything in the world.

[Forty-Niner]

Norm the Upper picture is much later than the 60”s.... I went through in 68 and was reassigned there untill Jan 71 when I went to stumps. Although 3 of the newer recruit baracks were built, they sat unused until VN returnee’s started using them in mid 1970. The two newer baracks along the Grinder had not been built, or for that matter even broken ground on last I was there in 71.......

[Semper Mark]

"The “night of the yellow footprints” will forever haunt me!

My wife and I went to Parris Island in '09 to watch our nephew graduate from basic training. It was the first time I'd been back since I graduated in '81. We arrived on his family visitation day so I had a little time to roam around the Island. The first thing I did was find the Receiving Barracks and those yellow footprints. I wasn't aware of how much time elapsed, but my wife says that I walked around, stood in and looked at those footprints for about ten minutes.

I reckon I'm haunted, too. ;-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

What great pictures....thanks for sharing.