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ere was no Interstate 5 nor industrial buildings when, in 1923, two years after opening as the Marine Advanced Expeditionary Base San Diego, it became the official training site for all Marine recruits west of the Mississippi River. Since then, close to two million Marines have completed bootcamp in San Diego, and that remarkable and ongoing history is on display for all to see at the MCRD San Diego Command Museum. Founded in 1987 and one of only three Marine command muse- ums in the country, its mission is to train recruits and provide for the continuing education of Marines, support the recruiting effort, and serve as a bridge to the civilian community. "We want everyone, especially San Diegans, to experience the history," says museum director Joan Schwarz-Wetter. ough open to all, a visit to the museum is mandatory for Marine recruits. "e fundamental responsibility of the government is to provide for the common defense, and that defense depends on good young men and women deciding to compromise their personal freedoms for a greater cause," says Rick Huenefeld, a retired Marine colo- nel who serves as president of the MCRD Museum Foundation board. "e tradition and hard-earned reputation of the Marines is something that needs to resonate, and the Command Museum plays a role in communicating that story." Featuring extensive exhibits on World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, the museum also highlights the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s in a gallery called Operation Forward Deployed that includes Operation Desert Storm and the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to training all Marine recruits west of the Mississippi, MCRD is home to the Marine Drill Instructor School, which has its own exhibit. ere is also a recently updated Bootcamp gallery with pictures and objects from the intensive 13-week Marine training program designed to test a recruit's physical, mental, and moral toughness. Like the museum, the many graduations that take place at MCRD each year are open to the public, a day of celebration that often includes multiple family members and friends in addition << ranchandcoast.com 50 NOVEMBER 2024 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE