Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Training Here to Protect Your Tomorrow

Since the 1940’s, Marines and Sailors have been living and working aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The 23,000-acre facility is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and the Marines that support this highly operational unit.

After 230 years of proud service, the Marine Corps remains the nations’ premier expeditionary “Total Force in Readiness.” Operating in task-organized, combined-arms Marine Air-Ground Task Forces, the Marine Corps is always on call for critical operations when the Nation needs us.

We are primarily a Naval force whose strength is our ability to access denied areas from great distances. We project Marine forces from land or sea bases for operations as part of a joint or combined force. We provide defense of the homeland by operating from forward deployed locations throughout the world.

MCAS Miramar’s primary mission is to provide for the nations defense and support all aircraft and ground operations occurring on the Air Station. The success of this mission is only made possible by MCAS Miramar’s most valuable asset, its people. Marines, Sailors, and Civilian Marines are the driving force behind what enables MCAS Miramar to accomplish its mission. We are committed to and sustained by our families, the American people, and our operational partners. We are devoted to each other and the cause of freedom.

STRATEGICALLY LOCATED

MCAS Miramar is a vital installation in carrying out the Marine Corps’ mission to train, equip and deploy our forces to respond to a variety of crises around the world. The expeditionary, sometimes moment’s-notice, mission of the Navy-Marine Corps team requires strategic co-location with other Department of Defense partners in order to maintain the flexibility required for national security needs. MCAS Miramar is centrally located near more than 10 West Coast Navy and Marine Corps installations. Sixty-seven percent of the Department of Defense’s aviation training airspace is located in three southwestern states – California, Arizona and Nevada. MCAS Miramar is ideally positioned to maximize training dollars and prepare Marines for operational commitments. The real benefits of this strategic locale are the outstanding performances of MCAS Miramar based Marines and Sailors in relief efforts, humanitarian assistance operations, and the Global War on Terrorism.

A TOTAL FORCE

The Marine Corps responds to crises and generates combat power for joint operations by deploying and employing integrated Marine Air-Ground Task Forces.

The 3rd MAW, headquartered at MCAS Miramar, is the Aviation Combat Element of 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, located at Camp Pendleton. The Wing’s mission is to conduct air operations in support of the MEF to include offensive air support, anti-air warfare, assault support, aerial reconnaissance, electronic warfare and control of aircraft and missiles.

Currently, Marines and Sailors from the 3rd MAW are deployed throughout the world in support of the Global War on Terrorism. From Iraq, the Horn of Africa, and Naval amphibious ships throughout the Pacific, these outstanding young men and women have distinguished themselves in some of the most dangerous areas of the world. In addition, 3rd MAW continues to maintain a ready contingent of trained Marines and Sailors at its bases in the Continental United States.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

As a member of the San Diego community, MCAS Miramar’s goal has always been to be a good neighbor to our surrounding communities. The Community Plans and Liaison Office and Consolidated Public Affairs Office actively conduct a community relations campaign throughout the region and coordinate the requisite forums to promote enhanced community awareness of ongoing Marine Corps training.

MCAS Miramar has adjusted many of their operations over the years to help lessen the noise and safety impacts on the community. These adjustments include the use of hush-houses, limitations of engine run-ups, changes in standard instrumentation departure methods, modification to flight tracts, distribution of flight operations per tract, and the control of daily and weekly flight tempo of operations.

The Air Installations Compatible Use Zones program and Comprehensive Land Use Plan documents, coupled with the full time staff of Community Planning Liaison Office and the cooperative efforts of the City of San Diego and San Diego Association of Governments have all contributed to the success of this program.

Opening our gates to the community for events such as the annual MCAS Miramar Air Show, Open Cockpit Days at the Flying Leatherneck Museum, monthly tours, Educators’ Workshops and youth activities give the neighboring communities a look at the Marine Corps and our way of life.

Monthly meetings of our Community Leaders’ Forum and ongoing dialogue with local, regional, state elected and appointed officials promote an open dialogue with our neighbors and enhances awareness within local communities of upcoming events or training cycles.

MCAS Miramar is dedicated to ensuring that the air station and the communities of San Diego County continue to live and grow together.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

MCAS Miramar is host to several endangered species and plants. As the largest undeveloped land in the County, the Marine Corps takes its responsibility to preserve the environment in Southern California very seriously.

MCAS Miramar continues to be responsible stewards of the environment through proactive programs that ensure the proper balance between the operational needs of the Marine Corps and the protection and preservation of the environment for future generations.

MCAS Miramar has several continuing pollution prevention initiatives that highlight the air station’s aggressive pollution prevention and source reduction efforts, such as recycling personal cell phones and personal and military rechargeable batteries. These efforts are done at “no cost” to the government and help reduce the number of cell phones and batteries, considered electronic waste, disposed of in local landfills.

Whenever practical, it is our goal to incorporate the use of environmental-friendly products into our operations. Part of this process is carefully screening supplies being procured on station to minimize the use of toxic materials through substitution or complete elimination.

MCAS Miramar believes that environmental stewardship is a team effort that involves all sectors of the MCAS Miramar community. An extremely valuable aspect of this is our excellent working relationship with our counterparts in the county and state governments.