MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Nearly 6,000 military families call Camp Pendleton home and use many areas of the base for recreation, but few are actually designated.
Uncoordinated use of training areas for recreation is not authorized.
“Lake O’Neil and the beach at Del Mar are the only two designated recreational areas,” said Joseph R. Vaineharrison, range control officer, Range Operations Division, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. “Once you leave a hard-surface road, you are probably entering a training area.”
Camp Pendleton’s 32 training areas host an average of 200 training events everyday, 360 days a year. Thirty percent of these exercises involve live-fire operations. As such, unauthorized use of training areas for recreational activities can be dangerous. Further, there are several other factors that can make these training areas a dangerous environment for unaware individuals.
Pendleton’s Range Operations Division, also known as Longrifle, is responsible for all activities that occur in training areas and maintains accountability of personnel using them, according to Base Order 3500.1N. Longrifle is also in charge of all medical evacuations in the case of emergencies.
“The safety of our personnel is our primary concern and we can’t help someone if we don’t know they’re out there,” said James F. Marshall, range operations director, ROD, MCB.
Pendleton’s terrain climbs from Del Mar’s sea-level beach to Delta Training Area’s elevation of 2,600 feet. With mountains, valleys, fields and streams, the landscape is both unique and unforgiving.
“This terrain has proven to be problematic even for some of our most highly trained warriors,” said Marshall. “Not a day goes by that Longrifle isn’t notified of some form of medical situation. Dehydration, injuries, wildlife and overall lack of accountability pose a serious threat.”
Longrifle’s base inspectors have a primary responsibility of checking units into the different ranges, said Vaineharrison. Unfortunately, they spend the majority of their time correcting more than 50 unauthorized individuals who enter training areas everyday.
“Cramming 18 months of training into the five-month turnaround time Marines and sailors are seeing today is hard enough,” said Vaineharrison. “All of the recreational activities Pendleton offers are wonderful and the families need to be taken care of, but our primary mission is to train Marines.”
Pendleton promotes the combat readiness of Marines and sailors by providing necessary facilities, including training areas. With unauthorized individuals in training areas, combat readiness suffers because training is hindered.
Individuals, including those not directly related to the military, are required to meet specific criteria to enter training areas. Some of the criteria include having a valid purpose, time scheduled and two-way communication with Longrifle at all times.
For additional information regarding authorized recreational areas, contact the Range Operations Division at (760) 725-0355.