Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms
| Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command (MAGTFTC); Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) Twentynine Palms | |
|---|---|
| Twentynine Palms, California | |
 MCAGCC Insignia |
|
| Type | Military base |
| Built | 1949 |
| In use | 1949 - present |
| Garrison | 7th Marine Regiment 3rd Battalion 4th Marines 1st Tank Battalion 3rd Battalion 11th Marines Marine Corps Communication Electronics School 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion Marine Wing Support Squadron 374 Combat Logistics Battalion 7 |
The Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), is the United States Marine Corps' largest base. It is a census-designated place officially known as Twentynine Palms Base, California located adjacent to the city of Twentynine Palms in southern San Bernardino County, California. As of the 2000 census, the base had a total population of 8,413; which has swelled considerably since the War on Terror. The zip code of the base is 92278. The MCAGCC has a quasi-pop culture significance among Marines, with the nickname "Twentynine Stumps" or simply "The Stumps" as a derision. It is generally considered a very undesirable post, due to the desert climate and relative isolation.
Mission
"To conduct relevant live-fire combined arms training, urban operations, and Joint/Coalition level integration training that promotes operational forces readiness as well as to provide the facilities, services, and support responsive to the needs of resident organizations, Marines, Sailors, and their families today and tomorrow."
History
On August 20, 1952, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Base Headquarters issued Post Order 343, and Marine Corps Training Center, Twentynine Palms, was born. Two years before, the nation had become embroiled in the Korean War. As the need for live-fire training grew along with the swelling ranks, it became obvious that more ranges were needed. Pendleton’s Marines looked southward, and happened upon the abandoned Condor Field, a World War II Army and Navy glider base located in the vicinity of what is now mainside.
The base was redesignated on February 6, 1953 as Marine Corps Training Center, Twentynine Palms. By February 1, 1957, it grew to base status and was again redesignated as Marine Corps Base, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
Only 70 Marines comprised the detachment at the Center. Manned by Marines from Camp Pendleton, its primary mission was to prepare the new base for the arrival of permanent personnel. By mid-December, 1952, a fresh 3rd Marine Division, with assistance from the 12th Marine Regiment, conducted the first large-scale, live-fire field exercise aboard the new base. The exercise gave Marines a glimpse of the facility's potential and foreshadowed the large-scale combined-arms exercises (CAXs) for which the base is now known.
In 1976, under the command of Brigadier General Ernest R. Reid, Jr., work began to add an expeditionary airfield to the base's growing infrastructure. When the first C-5 Galaxy landed in August 1978, it was apparent that the air-ground capability of the base was complete. Following completion of the expeditionary airfield, its name was changed to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Training Center Oct. 1, 1978, and changed yet once more to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) on February 16, 1979. It was also during this time that plans for the Combined Arms Exercises were conceived. Supplanting an earlier exercise known as Desert Palm Tree, the new CAXs were remarkable in two respects: the practice of combined arms, and live-fire and movement during the exercises were unprecedented in scale. Just as noteworthy was the creation of a Tactical Exercise Control Center with the primary purpose of controlling, instructing and critiquing the exercises. In the words of base historian, Col. Verle E. Ludwig, USMC (Ret.), "Twentynine Palms was to be a permanent 'combined-arms exercise college' for all of the Marine Corps."
On Oct. 1, 2000, after 21 years as MCAGCC, the command was redesignated as Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, Twentynine Palms, California. This redesignation accompanied a change in policy that placed MAGTF Training Command under the auspices of Training and Education Command, Headquarters Marine Corps, MCCDC, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. This arrangement simplifies what was occasionally a complicated chain of command.
The base is currently home to the largest military training area in the nation (and the largest US base in the world), and consequently, the largest training program. The program known as Mojave Viper has become the model of pre-Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment training. The majority of units in the Marine Corps will undergo a month at Mojave Viper before deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan. Live fire exercises, artillery, tank, and close air support training are used for training. In addition to the sprawling "Combat Town," a two-acre fabricated Middle Eastern village, complete with a mosque, native role-players, an "IED Alley," and other immersive touches.
Geography
Twentynine Palms Base is located at
According to the United States Census Bureau, the base has a total area of 3.7 km² (1.4 mi²). 3.7 km² (1.4 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water. Please note that this only applies to the main cantonment which includes the base housing; the entire installation is far larger, with 2,413.178 km² (931.733 sq mi) of surface area, all land. There was a resident population of 14,090 on this territory as of the 2000 census.
Demographics
As of the census
There are 912 households out of which 73.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 94.5% are married couples living together, 3.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 0.8% are non-families. 0.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 0.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.40 and the average family size is 3.40.
The age distribution of the base is: 15.4% under the age of 18, 67.0% from 18 to 24, 16.8% from 25 to 44, 0.7% from 45 to 64, and 0.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 21 years. For every 100 females there are 404.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 596.3 males. These statistics are consistent with the area's military status.
The median income for a household on the base is $29,500, and the median income for a family is $29,594. Males have a median income of $14,111 versus $17,014 for females. The per capita income for the base is $12,615. 12.1% of the population and 11.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.0% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
See also
References
- MCAGCC Twentynine Palms (official web site)
- FAA Airport Master Record for NXP (Form 5010 PDF)
- U.S. Marine Corps Combat Training Center: Census Tract 104.02, San Bernardino County, California United States Census Bureau
External links
- Resources for this U.S. military airport:
- AirNav airport information for KNXP
- ASN accident history for NXP
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KNXP
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
