Marine Corps Base Quantico
Encyclopedia
Marine Corps Base Quantico, sometimes abbreviated MCB Quantico, is a major United States Marine Corps
training base located near Triangle, Virginia
, covering nearly 100 square miles (259 km²) in southern Prince William County
, northern Stafford County
, and southeastern Fauquier County
. The base is known as the "Crossroads of the Marine Corps."
The Corps' Combat Development Command, which develops strategies for Marine combat and makes up most of the community of over 12,000 military and civilian personnel (including families) is based here. It has a budget of around $300 million and is the home of the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School. The Marine Corps Research Center at Quantico pursues equipment research and development
, especially telecommunications, for the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Brig
, a military prison, is also located at Quantico.
The FBI Academy
, the principal research and training facility of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
, and the principal training facility for the Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) are also located on the base. The National Museum of the Marine Corps
is located near the base.
The base as designated as part of the Quantico Marine Corps Base Historic District
by the National Register of Historic Places
in 2001. This district includes 122 buildings, two landscapes, a sculpture, and a water tower located within the Mainside area of the base. The contributing properties
with separate entries include Tennessee Camp, Camp French, Commanding General's Quarters, and Rising Hill Camp.
. The area was originally inhabited by the Patowomacks (Algonquian
) in the 16th century. The name "Quantico" is credited to come from a Native American
term, and has been translated to mean "by the large stream." Accounts show that the area was first visited by European explorers in the summer of 1608 with settlement beginning later that year.
After the turn of the century, the area became popular because of tobacco
trade in Aquia Harbor. Because traveling on muddy roads in those days was slow, many villages sprung up along the river and its inlets. Additionally, the area was a bustling stopping point on the north-south routes between New York
and Florida
.
Early settlements and plantation
s rooted along the flatlands bordering the Potomac. The hills west of the river remained essentially uninhabited until the early 18th century. Prince William County was organized in 1731, when the "Quantico Road" was also opened. This road gave vital access from the western part of the county to this area. By 1759, the road stretched across the Blue Ridge Mountains
into the Shenandoah Valley
.
The first military presence at Quantico came during the American Revolutionary War
, when the Quantico Creek village became a main naval base for the Commonwealth of Virginia's 72-vessel fleet on which many state militia
served.
The land was first visited by the Marine Corps in 1816, when a group of Marines traveling by ship to Washington were stopped when their vessel was halted by ice in the Potomac, forcing them to debark and march to the town of Dumfries, Virginia
. Here they met a young Captain Archibald Henderson
who lived close by. A generous-natured man, Henderson hired a wagon for them and sent them on their way.
During the Civil War
, control of the Potomac River became very important to both sides of the two armies. The Confederates
picked the Quantico Creek area on the Potomac to set up their gun batteries. This enabled them to make full use of several points where their artillery
could reach anything on the water, thus deterring Union
use of the water highway. One of these sites included "Shipping Point," the present day site of the Marine Corps Systems Command
.
While battles took place in Manassas, Virginia
and Fredericksburg, Virginia
, the gun positions around Quantico were used until the end of the war. After a 12-day battle at the Spotsylvania Courthouse
where the Union lost about 25,000 soldiers, the war moved out of the Quantico area.
Following the war, railroads became a more integral part of transportation. In 1872, the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
was formed when several railroads north and south met at Quantico Creek. This railroad still runs through the Base and is used daily.
The village came to be called "Quantico" and was built by the Quantico Company. This was the start of a thriving tourist and fishing town that would later be encompassed by Marine Corps Base Quantico.
Prior to the base's establishment, the land was owned by the Town of Quantico
. At the turn of the century, the Quantico Company was formed on Quantico Creek. The company, which promoted the town as a tourist and excursion center, set up tourist sites, such as refreshment stands, boats, and beach
es with dressing rooms to promote business.
By 1916, the Quantico Company began advertising Quantico as "The New Industrial City," and pushed for industry to come to the area. At the same time, the Quantico Shipyard
s were established on Hospital Point (the land that formerly held the Naval Medical Clinic but is now home to Marine Corps Systems Command) to build ocean freighters
and oil tanker
s. With growing tensions of war in Europe, the construction of U.S. Navy ships was a major money-maker for the Quantico Shipyards. While the Town of Quantico was rapidly growing as a fishing village, excursion center and a shipbuilding center in early 1917, the town was not large or significant, and was suffering many financial difficulties.
Around the same time, Major General
George Barnett
, then Commandant of the Marine Corps
, sent a board to find possible sites for a new Marine Corps base in the Washington, D.C., vicinity
.
In 1917, Marine Barracks, Quantico was established on the land currently occupied by today's base. Marine Barracks personnel consisted of 91 enlisted men
and four officers
. Thousands of Marines were trained here during World War I
. By 1920, the Marine Corps schools were founded, as Colonel
Smedley Butler
put it, "to make this post and the whole Marine Corps a great university."
These schools eventually developed into today's Marine Corps University
. Virtually all Marine officers receive their basic training here, as well as enlisted technicians from many different disciplines.
The first Marine Aircraft Wing was developed at Quantico, as well as the Corps' first helicopter squadron, Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1
), the first helicopter squadron to provide rapid transportation for Presidents of the United States
("Marine One
"). It continues that mission today.
In 1934, Amphibious Warfare Doctrine, along with special amphibious landing crafts for World War II
were developed here.
In 1987, the Marine Corps Development and Education Command here was changed to the Marine Corps Combat Development Command
.
A soldier accused of disclosing classified information
was detained in the Quantico brig in 2010-2011. Demonstrators blocked a gate on Sunday, March 20, 2011. 30 were arrested.
. HMX-1 was the first helicopter squadron
to provide rapid transportation of U.S. Presidents
, a mission they have continued to carry out to the present day.
A replica of the USMC War Memorial
, depicting the flag-raising at Iwo Jima
, stands at the entrance to the base. (The original stands at the north end of Arlington National Cemetery
.)
Marine Corps Base Quantico and the Potomac River
surround the town of Quantico
. Access to the town is possible only through the base, the Amtrak
train station or from the river.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
training base located near Triangle, Virginia
Triangle, Virginia
Triangle is a census-designated place in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,500 at the 2000 census. It is bounded to the south by the Quantico Marine Corps Base, which surrounds the town of Quantico. It is bounded to the north and west by the town of Dumfries...
, covering nearly 100 square miles (259 km²) in southern Prince William County
Prince William County, Virginia
-National protected areas:* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge* Manassas National Battlefield Park* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge* Prince William Forest Park-Government and politics:...
, northern Stafford County
Stafford County, Virginia
Stafford County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state, and just across the Rappahannock River from the City of Fredericksburg. As of the 2000 census, the population was 92,446, increasing to 128,961 in 2010.. Its county seat is Stafford. In 2006, and again in 2009,...
, and southeastern Fauquier County
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
. The base is known as the "Crossroads of the Marine Corps."
The Corps' Combat Development Command, which develops strategies for Marine combat and makes up most of the community of over 12,000 military and civilian personnel (including families) is based here. It has a budget of around $300 million and is the home of the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School. The Marine Corps Research Center at Quantico pursues equipment research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
, especially telecommunications, for the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Brig
Marine Corps Brig, Quantico
Marine Corps Brig, Quantico is a Level 1 facility military prison operated at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico, Virginia. By definition, Level 1 means that it can house relatively few inmates and is not equipped for sentences over 90 days.In practice, the facility can house approximately 250...
, a military prison, is also located at Quantico.
The FBI Academy
FBI Academy
The FBI Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia, is the training site for new Special Agents of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was first opened for use in 1972 on 385 acres of woodland. It is a relatively small government academy, housing three dormitory buildings and...
, the principal research and training facility of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, and the principal training facility for the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
(DEA) are also located on the base. The National Museum of the Marine Corps
National Museum of the Marine Corps
The National Museum of the Marine Corps is the historical museum of the United States Marine Corps. It is located in Quantico, Virginia and is open to the public with free admission. The museum had its grand opening on November 10, 2006 and is now the number one tourist attraction in Virginia,...
is located near the base.
The base as designated as part of the Quantico Marine Corps Base Historic District
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
by the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2001. This district includes 122 buildings, two landscapes, a sculpture, and a water tower located within the Mainside area of the base. The contributing properties
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
with separate entries include Tennessee Camp, Camp French, Commanding General's Quarters, and Rising Hill Camp.
Before the Establishment of the Marine Base
The Quantico base is close to the Potomac RiverPotomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
. The area was originally inhabited by the Patowomacks (Algonquian
Algonquian peoples
The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds. Today hundreds of thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples...
) in the 16th century. The name "Quantico" is credited to come from a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
term, and has been translated to mean "by the large stream." Accounts show that the area was first visited by European explorers in the summer of 1608 with settlement beginning later that year.
After the turn of the century, the area became popular because of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
trade in Aquia Harbor. Because traveling on muddy roads in those days was slow, many villages sprung up along the river and its inlets. Additionally, the area was a bustling stopping point on the north-south routes between New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Early settlements and plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s rooted along the flatlands bordering the Potomac. The hills west of the river remained essentially uninhabited until the early 18th century. Prince William County was organized in 1731, when the "Quantico Road" was also opened. This road gave vital access from the western part of the county to this area. By 1759, the road stretched across the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
into the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
.
The first military presence at Quantico came during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, when the Quantico Creek village became a main naval base for the Commonwealth of Virginia's 72-vessel fleet on which many state militia
Virginia Militia
The Virginia militia is an armed force composed of all citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia capable of bearing arms. The Virginia militia was established in 1607 as part of the British militia system. Militia service in Virginia was compulsory for all free males...
served.
The land was first visited by the Marine Corps in 1816, when a group of Marines traveling by ship to Washington were stopped when their vessel was halted by ice in the Potomac, forcing them to debark and march to the town of Dumfries, Virginia
Dumfries, Virginia
Dumfries is a town in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,937 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dumfries is located at ....
. Here they met a young Captain Archibald Henderson
Archibald Henderson
Archibald Henderson was the longest-serving Commandant of the Marine Corps, serving from 1820 to 1859. He is often referred to as the "Grand old man of the Marine Corps," serving in the United States Marine Corps for 53 years.-Biography:Born in Colchester, Fairfax County, Virginia to successful...
who lived close by. A generous-natured man, Henderson hired a wagon for them and sent them on their way.
During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, control of the Potomac River became very important to both sides of the two armies. The Confederates
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
picked the Quantico Creek area on the Potomac to set up their gun batteries. This enabled them to make full use of several points where their artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
could reach anything on the water, thus deterring Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
use of the water highway. One of these sites included "Shipping Point," the present day site of the Marine Corps Systems Command
Marine Corps Systems Command
Marine Corps Systems Command is located at MCB Quantico.-Mission:Serve as the Commandant's principal agent for acquisition and sustainment of systems and equipment used by the operating forces to accomplish their warfighting mission....
.
While battles took place in Manassas, Virginia
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
and Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
, the gun positions around Quantico were used until the end of the war. After a 12-day battle at the Spotsylvania Courthouse
Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia
Spotsylvania Courthouse is an unincorporated community and the county seat of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, located ten miles southwest of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S...
where the Union lost about 25,000 soldiers, the war moved out of the Quantico area.
Following the war, railroads became a more integral part of transportation. In 1872, the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. It is now a portion of the CSX Transportation system....
was formed when several railroads north and south met at Quantico Creek. This railroad still runs through the Base and is used daily.
The village came to be called "Quantico" and was built by the Quantico Company. This was the start of a thriving tourist and fishing town that would later be encompassed by Marine Corps Base Quantico.
Establishing the base
Quantico, Virginia
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...
. At the turn of the century, the Quantico Company was formed on Quantico Creek. The company, which promoted the town as a tourist and excursion center, set up tourist sites, such as refreshment stands, boats, and beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es with dressing rooms to promote business.
By 1916, the Quantico Company began advertising Quantico as "The New Industrial City," and pushed for industry to come to the area. At the same time, the Quantico Shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
s were established on Hospital Point (the land that formerly held the Naval Medical Clinic but is now home to Marine Corps Systems Command) to build ocean freighters
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
and oil tanker
Oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
s. With growing tensions of war in Europe, the construction of U.S. Navy ships was a major money-maker for the Quantico Shipyards. While the Town of Quantico was rapidly growing as a fishing village, excursion center and a shipbuilding center in early 1917, the town was not large or significant, and was suffering many financial difficulties.
Around the same time, Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
George Barnett
George Barnett
Major General George Barnett was the 12th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. He was Commandant during the U.S. involvement in World War I. He was born in Lancaster, Wisconsin and grew up in the small town of Boscobel, Wisconsin.-Early career:Barnett entered the U.S...
, then Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
, sent a board to find possible sites for a new Marine Corps base in the Washington, D.C., vicinity
Washington Metropolitan Area
The Washington Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area centered on Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The area includes all of the federal district and parts of the U.S...
.
In 1917, Marine Barracks, Quantico was established on the land currently occupied by today's base. Marine Barracks personnel consisted of 91 enlisted men
Enlisted rank
An enlisted rank is, in most Militaries, any rank below a commissioned officer or warrant officer. The term can also be inclusive of non-commissioned officers...
and four officers
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
. Thousands of Marines were trained here during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. By 1920, the Marine Corps schools were founded, as Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Smedley Butler
Smedley Butler
Smedley Darlington Butler was a Major General in the U.S. Marine Corps, an outspoken critic of U.S. military adventurism, and at the time of his death the most decorated Marine in U.S...
put it, "to make this post and the whole Marine Corps a great university."
These schools eventually developed into today's Marine Corps University
Marine Corps University
The Marine Corps University reports to the United States Marine Corps Training And Education Command. It was established on August 1, 1989 by General Alfred M...
. Virtually all Marine officers receive their basic training here, as well as enlisted technicians from many different disciplines.
The first Marine Aircraft Wing was developed at Quantico, as well as the Corps' first helicopter squadron, Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1
HMX-1
Marine Helicopter Squadron One , is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron responsible for the transportation of the President of the United States, Vice President, Cabinet members and other VIPs...
), the first helicopter squadron to provide rapid transportation for Presidents of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
("Marine One
Marine One
Marine One is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the President of the United States. It usually denotes a helicopter operated by the HMX-1 "Nighthawks" squadron, either the large VH-3D Sea King or the newer, smaller VH-60N "WhiteHawk", both due to be replaced by the...
"). It continues that mission today.
In 1934, Amphibious Warfare Doctrine, along with special amphibious landing crafts for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
were developed here.
In 1987, the Marine Corps Development and Education Command here was changed to the Marine Corps Combat Development Command
Marine Corps Combat Development Command
Marine Corps Combat Development Command, located in at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, has the mission of developing Marine Corps warfighting abilities to enable the Corps to field combat-ready forces...
.
A soldier accused of disclosing classified information
Classified information
Classified information is sensitive information to which access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of persons. A formal security clearance is required to handle classified documents or access classified data. The clearance process requires a satisfactory background investigation...
was detained in the Quantico brig in 2010-2011. Demonstrators blocked a gate on Sunday, March 20, 2011. 30 were arrested.
Units and commands
It is the site of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command and Marine Helicopter 1 HMX-1HMX-1
Marine Helicopter Squadron One , is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron responsible for the transportation of the President of the United States, Vice President, Cabinet members and other VIPs...
. HMX-1 was the first helicopter squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
to provide rapid transportation of U.S. Presidents
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, a mission they have continued to carry out to the present day.
- Marine Corps Embassy Security GroupMarine Corps Security GuardThe Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, formerly Marine Security Guard Battalion, and also known as Marine Security Guards or Marine Embassy Guards, are members of the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, a battalion-sized organization of U.S...
- Marine Corps MarathonMarine Corps MarathonThe Marine Corps Marathon is an annual marathon held in Arlington, Virginia and Washington, DC. The mission of the MCM is to promote physical fitness, generate community goodwill and showcase the organizational skills of the United States Marine Corps....
- Marine Corps Combat Development CommandMarine Corps Combat Development CommandMarine Corps Combat Development Command, located in at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, has the mission of developing Marine Corps warfighting abilities to enable the Corps to field combat-ready forces...
- Marine Corps Warfighting LaboratoryUnited States Marine Corps Warfighting LaboratoryThe United States Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory was established in 1995, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The organization was originally known as the Commandant's Warfighting Laboratory....
- Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory
- Marine Corps Recruiting CommandMarine Corps Recruiting CommandThe Marine Corps Recruiting Command is a command of the United States Marine Corps responsible for military recruitment of civilians into the Corps...
- Manpower and Reserve Affairs Division, Headquarters Marine Corps
- Marine Corps Systems CommandMarine Corps Systems CommandMarine Corps Systems Command is located at MCB Quantico.-Mission:Serve as the Commandant's principal agent for acquisition and sustainment of systems and equipment used by the operating forces to accomplish their warfighting mission....
- Marine Corps Training and Education CommandUnited States Marine Corps Training and Education CommandThe Marine Corps Training and Education Command is the primary training command of the United States Marine CorpsIt develops, coordinate, resource, execute, and evaluate training and education concepts, policies, plans, and programs for Marines to meet the challenges of operational...
- The Basic School
- Marine Air-Ground Task ForceMarine Air-Ground Task ForceThe Marine Air-Ground Task Force is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that...
(MAGTF) Staff Training Program - Marine Corps UniversityMarine Corps UniversityThe Marine Corps University reports to the United States Marine Corps Training And Education Command. It was established on August 1, 1989 by General Alfred M...
- Officer Candidates School
- Marine Corps Network Operations Security Command
- Marine Corps Wounded Warrior RegimentUnited States Marine Corps Wounded Warrior RegimentThe Wounded Warrior Regiment is a United States Marine Corps command that provides and facilitates non-medical care to combat and non-combat wounded, ill and injured Marines and Sailors attached to or in direct support of Marine units and their family members in order to assist them as they return...
Tenant activities
The base is the home of major training institutions for both the Marine Corps and federal law enforcement agencies, including:- Drug Enforcement AdministrationDrug Enforcement AdministrationThe Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
training academy - FBI AcademyFBI AcademyThe FBI Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia, is the training site for new Special Agents of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was first opened for use in 1972 on 385 acres of woodland. It is a relatively small government academy, housing three dormitory buildings and...
- The FBI LaboratoryFBI LaboratoryThe FBI Laboratory is a division within the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation that provides forensic analysis support services to the FBI, as well as to state and local law enforcement agencies free of charge. The lab is currently located at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico,...
- FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT)
- Marine Raider MuseumMarine Raider MuseumThe Marine Raider Museum is located at Raider Hall, 24191 Gilbert Road, Camp Barrett, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Quantico, Virginia . It contains exhibits related to Marine Raiders...
- Naval Criminal Investigative ServiceNaval Criminal Investigative ServiceThe United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service is the primary security, counter-intelligence, counter-terrorism, and law enforcement agency of the United States Department of the Navy...
Headquarters, Army CID Headquarters, AFOSI Headquarters. - Defense Intelligence AgencyDefense Intelligence AgencyThe Defense Intelligence Agency is a member of the Intelligence Community of the United States, and is the central producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense, employing over 16,500 U.S. military and civilian employees worldwide...
A replica of the USMC War Memorial
USMC War Memorial
The Marine Corps War Memorial is a military memorial statue outside the walls of the Arlington National Cemetery and next to the Netherlands Carillon, in Arlington, Virginia, in the United States. The memorial is dedicated to all personnel of the United States Marine Corps who have died in the...
, depicting the flag-raising at Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
, stands at the entrance to the base. (The original stands at the north end of Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.)
Marine Corps Base Quantico and the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
surround the town of Quantico
Quantico, Virginia
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...
. Access to the town is possible only through the base, the Amtrak
Quantico (Amtrak station)
The Quantico is located at 550 Railroad Avenue at Potomac Avenue in Quantico, Virginia. It also serves the Virginia Railway Express Fredericksburg Line. Quantico Station was originally built by the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad in 1953...
train station or from the river.
See also
- List of United States Marine Corps installations
- Chopawamsic IslandChopawamsicChopawamsic Island is the only island in the Potomac River within the territorial boundaries of the Commonwealth of Virginia.- Introduction :...
- Breckenridge ReservoirBreckenridge ReservoirBreckenridge Reservoir is a small reservoir on Chopawamsic Creek in Prince William and Stafford counties, Virginia. The reservoir's western shore is the Marine Corps Base Quantico and the eastern shore is a part of Prince William Forest Park, which is a unit of the National Park Service...