Military in Beaufort

This is where it all begins. Young men and women are turned into Marines. Parris Island started out being a Navy station back in 1889 and grew into the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot, after the Navy moved it's operation to Charleston, SC. This facility is one of the largest in the US and trains approximately 20,000 Marines a year. Parris Island received the Commander in Chief's Excellence Award in 1990 as being the best installation in the Marine Corps. It also is one of the most important military facilities in the Nation. Parris Island also has a great museum, check out Museums on this site.

A young recruit begins his/her training here with the meeting of their new "MOM", pictured on the left, who will tell you everything you never wanted to know about yourself. To help start the conversation, you get the first of your free contributions, a hair cut. You will finally be able to see all them scars on your head. For the next 12 weeks you will march, exercise, learn hand to hand combat skills, march, exercise, learn survival skills, march, exercise, learn the fine art of becoming a sharp shooter, exercise, march, and learn to throw things that make a lot of noise. Sometimes you even get to sleep. You learn how to eat all the things you wouldn't at home, and then exercise and march. Your vocabulary increases as you learn new words like " YES SIR" and "YES SIR". You even learn things you never thought you would ever learn, like making your bed, folding your clothes, and of course, how to spit shine a pair of boots. You learn to see in the dark, and of course, more exercise and marching, how to face insurmountable odds... and survive. How to watch your buddy's back and how to trust and rely on them.

When it's all done, you find you learned a lot more than you thought. You know now what you are capable of, your strengths and the meaning of the words camaraderie, loyalty and dedication. Now, you get to march again, this time to your graduation, where after all this work you finally become a Marine and get to join your comrades before you and continue the proud tradition of the US Marine Corps.

MCAS F4 Phantom Fighter display : copyright 1999 : R.J Sorensen

When you first see this base, just north of Beaufort, you know these Marines mean business. The Marine Corps Air Station is where the aviators of the Marines make the big noise. They refine their skills over the Beaufort skies, skills like aircraft carrier landings and mock air to air combat. The Marines here are combat ready, and often go on alert at a moments notice when tension flares in distant lands. They can be deployed anywhere Marines are needed almost immediately. The base has some of the latest and best fighter aircraft in the Marine arsenal. When hell breaks out, these guys are ready and willing.

MCAS has a housing facility known as Laurel Bay for the families stationed there. The quarters have been well maintained. The complex has a convenience store and its own Marine security within its more than 1,100 acre boundaries.
MCAS provides Beaufort with air shows, sometimes featuring the famed Navy Blue Angels as seen here, and other times special units including helicopters, and special rescue techniques. It's an air show every day!

MCAS provides the Beaufort area with search and rescue assistance
and have saved many civilian lives in the area.
Both MCAS and Parris Island assists local authorities in many other activities.
Parris Island also has a fantastic fireworks display on the 4 th of July!