Marine Corps Installations West

Signed over to the Marine Corps from the Navy in 1997, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar is the West-Coast headquarters of Marine aviation and home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing with 10,000 Marines who operate and support flight operations. MCAS Miramar provides a central location between inland air-to-ground ranges, and lateral air-to-air ranges for fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Noah Rudash)

The first air facility in Yuma was constructed in 1928 for military and civilian use. On July 20, 1962, the designation was formally changed to the present, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. MCAS Yuma continues to be the busiest Marine Corps air station in the Department of the Navy for air operations. With access to 2.8 million acres for bombing, aviation training ranges, and superb flying weather, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma supports 80 percent of the Marine Corps air-to-ground aviation training. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Noah Rudash)

In 1942, Marine Corps planners chose Barstow as a secure inland site to protect critical supplies and equipment. Re-designated in November 1978 as Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, the installation is well-positioned to support the logistics needs of the Marine Corps and departments of defense. Home to one of the largest maintenance centers in the Department of Defense, Barstow sustains half of the Marine Corps capabilities for ground maintenance and supply. With 3 million square feet of covered storage and approximately 30 million square feet of open-lot storage, Barstow is essential to the Marine Corps’ capacity to provide uninterrupted support to the operating forces. As the second largest employer in Barstow, 500 military and 2,500 civilian personnel provide in-to-in support to Marine forces west of the Mississippi to Asia. Employees work around the clock to ensure that equipment is stored, tested, maintained, and distributed to best support the warfighter. Barstow’s desert climate helps preserve facilities and equipment, and offers an ideal environment for renewable energy platforms. Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow is the first Marine Corps installation to construct and operate a wind turbine. At peak capacity, the turbine generates 1.5 megawatts of energy, enough to power 500 homes. One of the region's smaller installations, Barstow is committed to maintaining strong relations with the surrounding community. Home to the only mounted color guard, Marines participate in local and regional events throughout the year. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Noah Rudash)