Should Camp Lejeune Be Expanded
AUTHOR Major William A. Meier, USMC
CSC 1989
SUBJECT AREA - Topical Issues
Executive Summary
Title: Should Camp Lejeune Be Expanded
I. Purpose: To analyze and identify training and maneuver
requirements to support II MEF training operations,
which will require expanding Camp Lejeune to satisfy
these requirements.
II. Problem: As the Marine Corps' organization mission
doctrine, equipment, and weapon's have drastically
changed over the years to the point that Marine Corp
Base, Camp Lejeune, can not provide the proper and modern
ranges along with maneuver area to effective train units.
III. Data: Camp Lejeune was built in 1941 due to a need for
expansion in size and mission from its current location.
The reservation contains 111,120 acres, and is known as
the worlds most complete amphibious training base. As
time went by the ranges were slowly up graded to support
the new weapons and equipment. Changes in the structure
of the combat units, the development of new tactics for
conduct warfare, and increased fire power and mobility
have change the philosophy for training. As a result of
a joint five year Complex Master Plan, it became obvious
that more detailed planning was required for land and
facilities to support modern Marine Corps training
requirements. A study known as the Special Training
Analysis of Camp Lejeune, utilizing army training
requirements, identified a shortage of 51,600 acres. A
tract of land southwest of the base with appropriately
41,000 acres was identified, which would satisfy most
training requirements for all concerned. The governments
main concerns were the environmentalist, and the
residents of Onslow County who feared the terminology of
"Condemnation. " If this land expansion goes through it
will enhance the overall training and save the Marine
Corps training funds due to the amount of training which
is currently being conducted at other military
installations.
IV. Conclusion: If the training is to be effective, it
should reflect the condition of active combat. This
requires that combat units be able to move, shoot, and
communicate on modern and reliant training areas.
V. Recommendations: Currently, the amount of training
landed needed to accomplish the required training task at
Camp Lejeune are limited. To satisfy these training
short falls the acquisition of 41,000 acres of additional
land is needed.
Should Camp Lejeune Be Expanded
OUTLINE
Thesis: If training is to be effective, it should
reflect the condition of combat.
I. Development of Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune
A. Size
B. Built-up areas
C. Mission
D. Weapons
E. Restrictions
F. Type training
II. Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune Today
A. Size
B. Built-up area
C. Mission
D. Current weapons
E. Type training
III.Five Year Training Plan
A. Division training requirements
B. F.S.S.G. training requirements
C. Base training requirements
IV. Special Training Plan
A. Current organization/training mission
B. Training requirements
(1) Range requirements
(2) Maneuver requirements
C. Training limitation and deficiencies
V. Locating the Land
A. Identifying land which is acceptable to the
military and the county
B. Identifying land which is lightly populated
VI. Environmental Impact Statement
A. What is it
B. Why must it be done
C. What will it show
D. What problems will it bring up
VII.The Communities Opinions
A. Flashback of early families relocating during
the creating of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
B. Relocating families
C. Concerns of the county, developers, and the
residents.
VIII. Training Budget
A. Training requirements away from Camp
Lejeune, North Carolina.
B. Funding required to support off base training.
C. Amount of saving anticipated if all training could
be conducted at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
SHOULD CAMP LEJEUNE BE EXPANDED
The purpose of all training is to develop forces that
can win in combat. Training is the key to combat
effectiveness and, therefore, is the focus of effort of a
peacetime military war. Training must continue during war
to adapt to the lessons of combat. All officers and
enlisted marines undergo similar entry-level training
which is, in effect, a socialization process. Training
provides all marines a common experience, a proud
heritage, a set of values, and a common bond of
comradeship.
History shows armies which had an effectiveness and
realistic training program were successful on the
battlefield. These armies were led by great military
leaders who understood the importance of training. One
such leader was Confucius, who stated "To lead an
untrained people to war is to throw them away. "1 General
Erwin Rommel advocated
"...train in difficult, trackless, wooded
terrain. War makes extremely heavy demands
on the soldier's strength and nerves. For
this reason, make heavy demands on your men
in peacetime. "2
The philosophy that effective preparation for war and
the maintenance of a high level of readiness requires
training under conditions that reflect those of actual
combat. This has further accentuated the need for
suitable training area. The creation of one such training
areas was Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Camp Lejeune was conceived in the late 1930's. The
Marine Corps (like today) saw that it was out-growing its
facilities on the east coast. Expansion in size and mission
of the Corps forced Headquarters in Washington to start
planning for a new base. In 1941, construction activities
to carve a military reservation out of 200 square miles of
swamp land and sand dunes began. This reservation today is
considered the world's most complete amphibious training
base.
This reservation contains 111,120 acres, of which
85,155 acres are on land and 26,000 acres are under water.
Eleven miles of the camp's boundaries skirt directly along
the Atlantic Ocean. These shores are used for the
amphibious training, which has brought fame to the versatile
"soldiers of the sea" since 1775.3 The cantonment area was
roughly 5,325 acres. This left some 80,155 acres of virgin
terrain for training
The mission for Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North
Carolina, is a two phase mission. The first phase is to
provide housing, training facilities and logistical support
for Fleet Marine Force units and other units assigned to
this base. The second phase is to conduct specialized
schools and training. This includes organization and conduct
of engineer courses, supply courses, and base combat
training for marines just graduated from Parris Island,
South Carolina. "4
The mission of the Marine Corps Base has not changed
over its many years of existence; however, the most
important elements of the mission statement are training
facilities and logistical support. To ensure that the
marines could answer the motto -- "First to Fight", the
training facilities and the logistical support was
paramount.
During the early developmental stages of Marine Corps
Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, marksmanship was the key
to a marine's training. As a result, the first training
facility was a huge rifle range. Gun positions were then
constructed throughout the base, which enabled the firing of
the artillery weapons -- up to the six inch guns.
From the beginning of the base until the mid-60s, there
were no restrictions whatsoever placed on the units
utilizing the different training facilities or areas. The
division could move freely throughout the training areas
with no concern for the wetlands, the redheaded woodpecker
or the sea turtles. There were no endangered or threatened
species with which the marines had to contend during the
first twenty-five years. This is not true today.
The training for the early years of Camp Lejeune was
simple but effective. The training was performed mostly on
foot with little mechanized capability or massive
maneuvering.
The geographic boundaries of Marine Corps Base, Camp
Lejeune, have remained virtually unchanged since its
establishment in 1941. The Marine Corps' organization,
mission, doctrine, and equipment, however, have continuously
evolved with the passage of time. Changes in the structure
of the units, the development of new tactics for the conduct
of warfare, increased fire power, and mobility have each, in
turn, enhanced the war fighting capabilities of contemporary
marine fighting units. The need to maintain these
capabilities has, in turn, increased the demand for
additional training resources. Further improvement in the
ballistics, range, and mobility of modern weapons will
continue to require even larger land areas for safe range
training and operation if marines are to conduct effective
live fire training. Furthermore, the current philosophy
that effective preparation for combat and the maintenance of
a high level of readiness each require training under
conditions that are similar to those which will likely be
experienced and has further accentuated the need for
suitable training areas.
The cantonment areas at Camp Lejeune have expanded
continuously to keep pace with the growing population of the
base. The cantonment area includes those sites used for
housing and recreation as well as those used by the military
and civilian work force for maintenance, medical care,
welfare and administration. The total cantonment area has
grown to 8,400 acres with that number rising on a monthly
basis. This is due to the enormous construction effort
currently taking place. As the cantonment area grows
throughout Camp Lejeune, the training area shrinks; thus,
reducing the capability to properly and effectively train
marines.
The mission of Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, has not
changed since the base was created in 1941. The wording of
the mission has changed, but it still is charged with the
task of operating the world's most complete amphibious
training base, and it still hosts the Second Marine
Division and the Second Force Service Support Group. As the
host command, Marine Corps Base's mission is to provide the
training facilities and logistical and administrative
support for both the tenant units and the other training
activities as directed by higher headquarters.5
The Marine Corps is embarked on a program of force
modernization and training addresses the challenges of
warfare in the 1980's. For the ground forces of the Fleet
Marine Forces, the emphasis is on improved firepower and
tactical mobility. Weapons programs range from new infantry
weapons such as the squad automatic weapon, grenade
launcher, M-198 howitzer, light armored vehicle, M-1 tank,
shoulder launched multi-purpose assault weapon, and others.
The Marine Infantry Battalion is currently undergoing an
evolutionary reorganization designed to enhance its
maneuverability and capability to survive an attack. The
new battalion will operate with fewer personnel; however,
the firepower available to the battalion will be increased
with the acquisition of more and new crew-served weapons as
mentioned above.
Over the last forty-seven years, the limitation on
training has continually grown to the point that it has
hampered training. The increased public awareness of the
need to protect the environment from damage has altered
earlier judgments concerning the manner in which training
exercises are conducted. Current Federal legislation
requiring the maintenance of suitable habitat for endangered
wildlife on Federal lands either restricts the availability
of some lands for training or changes the way training
operations in these areas are conducted.
During the early 1980's, the 2nd Marine Division with
support from the 2nd Force Service Support Group identified
a need to upgrade and expand the training areas and
facilities to support the improvement in the ballistics,
range, and mobility of modern weapons. Modernization df
weapons and the cumulative effect of numerous restrictions
on the use of Camp Lejeune land holding dictates that Marine
Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, be expanded by its present
boundaries. This joint study was forwarded to Marine Corps
Base, where it became the Camp Lejeune Five-Year Complex
Master Plan. During the revisions to the Master Plan, it
became obvious that more detailed planning was required for
land and facilities to support modern Marine Corps training
requirements.
In 1984, a consulting firm was hired to study the
training mission at Camp Lejeune and to assess the
capabilities to train for modern warfare with
state--of--the--art weaponry. This study known as the
Special Training analysis of Camp Lejeune, was prepared by
Harland Bartholemew and Associates, Inc. This study
addresses unit maneuvers and range land requirements for
units conducting training.
The report begins by evaluating the training
requirements of each assigned military unit against the
number and type of training facilities available. This data
was collated and served as input for the army Training Land
Analysis Model (ATLAM). The ATLAM is a method of
determining the area of land needed for training at an
installation.6 To access the ATLAM are the training
requirements established by the army in the Army Training
and Evaluation Program (ARTEP). The ARTEP defines those
tasks or exercises a unit must practice to achieve combat
readiness as well as the land area needed for this
training.7 The ATLAM uses the land area required to
accomplish an exercise, the number of times an exercise must
be practiced to attain proficiency, and the time required to
complete the exercise to estimate the total land area over
time as the basis for assessing the adequacy of an
installation's range and maneuver area.
Each unit range and maneuver area requirements were
collected and tabulated in accordance with the ATLAM. The
Study indicated the need of 112,700 acres of range and
maneuver area to effectively train the marines for combat.8
The total area of Camp Lejeune is 111,200 acres; however,
the number of limitations and deficiencies drastically
reduces the acreage for training. The total
limitations which include water areas (25,200 acres),
cantonment area (8,400 acres), endangered and threatened
species ( 2,700 acres), impact areas (11,100 acres), and
miscellaneous (2,700 acres) totaling 50,100 acres, leaving
61,100 acres for potential maneuver area and ranges. 9 As
mentioned in the ATLAM study, the total acreage required
to effectively train marines is 112,700 acres, which
indicates a shortage of approximately 51,600 acres of
training land.
To support the Special Training Analysis which
identified a massive shortage of training land, a report,
circulated by the Deputy Chief of Staff Training,
Headquarters, Marine Corps, cited the following
deficiencies concerning east coast ranges:
Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, ranges are
ill--equipped for combat marksmanship.
Electronic field targets are obsolete and
virtually beyond useful life. Replacement
systems are expensive and require
sophisticated construction support.
Infantrymen are not being challenged with
ranges/targets arrays which develop sound
combat firing skills. Target systems for
mechanized units are even poorer. Targets
appropriate for newly introduced weapons are
left to the imagination of the individual
base. 10
In early 1986, Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune,
identified a track of land with approximately 41,000 acres
which would satisfy the training requirements for all
concerned. The area to the west of the base, currently
proposed for the base expansion, is the sole remaining
land area which has not been extensively developed
compared to the other areas adjacent to Camp Lejeune.
aside from the community of Verona, the land to the west
of Camp Lejeune is largely uninhabited. The lack of
development in that direction is attributable to the fact
that land ownership is generally held by a single land
owner, International Paper Company, which uses its acreage
for commercial timber production. Also, the soils in the
area are largely unsuitable for farming because of their
wetness. The area is lightly populated with 23
residential homes, one small business and five cemeteries.
The true boundaries were finally agreed upon,
preparation were made to provide a complete Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). This set forth the
potential expansion of the base to satisfy a deficit of land
maneuver and live fire range. The DEIS was prepared in
compliance with the National Environmental policy act (NEPA)
and approiate regulations. It will be a single document that
incorporates, by reference, as much material as feasible
and will be written in a narrative format in a manner easy
to comprehend by all parties concerned. The study must
outline in detail the overall training and land uses and
environmental impacts base wide and must include the current
endangered species situations, noise, wetlands, air space,
as well as socio-economic issues, including cost and other
indirect affects of off base training due to current
land/environmental restriction. As Colonel Carroll (G-3
training, M.C.B.,C.L.,N.C.) stated, the draft study is
scheduled to be completed and distributed to the public
during May of 1989. During June or July, Camp Lejeune,
officials will hold public meetings to allow the public to
comment on the results of the Impact Statement. The final
Impact Statement will be published during august 1989.
After comments during the public meeting have been received
and noted with appropriate change, the final Impact
Statement will be presented to the Commandant of the Marine
Corps for his approval to proceed with the purchase of the
land.
"There's nothing we can do if the Federal Government
wants this land.... it's just a matter of when," said a
former serviceman.11 The residents of southern Onslow
County, who are directly involved one way or another with
expanding Camp Lejeune, are confused and uneducated when
dealing with this topic. Currently the only thing these
residents and county officials could see was 1941 and the
uproar over the founding of Camp Lejeune. Many residents
still bear the emotional scars of the battle waged when the
government seized the 170 square miles for the Marine Corps'
first amphibious base.
The residents expressed concern that if the federal
government decided to go ahead with the expansion it would
seize the land regardless of the wishes of present
landowners. The process by which it would do so has been
negatively named; "Condemnation Under Condemnation"--
property transferred from private ownership to the
government at a price set by the government.
As a result of a number of public
hearings,correspondence, and one on one interviews, the
condemnation issue was finally put to rest. The residents,
all twenty--seven, were assured that their property would be
purchased by the government at a fair market value according
to today's standards.
The Onslow County Board of Commissioners and local
developers have slowly withdrawn their total opposition and
started working with the base in the last year. The
Commissioners were given the opportunity to provide input
and comments to prepare a draft environmental impact
statement on the proposed expansion. The Commissioners
drafted a resolution in which they proposed the eight issues
which they felt had a major impact and should be considered
in the draft environmental impact statement. 12
A. The proposed expansion area would further dissect
the northwest area of the county from the southern and
southwest area.
B. Erosion of the County's property tax base and
diminishment of revenues to be realized through ad valorem
property taxes.
C. Proposed condemnation and taking of property owned
by individuals who may be unwilling to voluntarily divest
themselves of their holdings.
D. Potential negative impact on proposed growth and
development both in the area of expansion and adjacent to
the proposed expansion areas.
E. Increases in noise levels and traffic congestion
may result from training exercise conducted in the proposed
area of expansion.
F. Onslow County faces a potential loss of revenues
from sale of water to persons affected by the expansion.
G. The newly created Southwest Creek Water and Sewer
District may be adversely affected if the areas of expansion
are contiguous to the District's boundaries. The creation
of the District is to expedite the construction of a
sanitary sewer system to serve the citizens of the area.
H. State Road 1103, which traverses the proposed area
of expansion for approximately seven miles, connects N. C.
50 and U.S. Highway 17.
Rich Leary, the County Manager, stated the county was
concerned with three of the eight issue listed above. 13 The
first was the loss of 85,000 dollars in taxes. The county
wants some way to recoup this loss. The second was to
ensure the condemnation was fair. Lastly, State funded road
1103 which divides the expansion area and connects N.C. 50
and U.S. Highway 17 which is lightly utilized as a tourist
route to the beaches of Eastern North Carolina. Rich Leary
also stated the county was not totally against the expansion
and he felt it would take place; however, he wanted to
ensure the county was properly supported.
One of the economic benefits of the land expansion is
that the Corps will no longer have to transport troops or
equipment to other locations for training. It is
anticipated that further budgetary constraints effecting the
availability of funds for travel and facilities rentals will
significantly reduce the opportunities for off-base
training. This proposed expansion will provide sufficient
ranges and maneuver areas for units that were previously
deploying away from Camp Lejeune, thus saving an enormous
amount of training funds.
Due to lack of adequate maneuver ranges and the
limitations imposed by environmental factors, combined arms
training for mechanized assault are being conducted at other
bases, such as Ft. Pickett, Va., Ft. Benning, Ga., and Ft.
Bragg, N.C. This all cost millions of dollars. If the
additional training area is acquired, the majority of this
training could be conducted at Camp Lejeune. Thus, the
money allocated for transportation, travel, and facilities
could be used to upgrading the ranges, new and old at Camp
Lejeune.
Since the acquisition of Camp Lejeune in 1941, training
requirements have changed substantially. This is primarily
due to the extensive mechanization of the Corps and its
increase of both tracked and wheeled vehicles. While
infantry type units have remained relatively light, combat
support elements have not. As a result, the space required
for integrated training has increased substantially.
If training is to be effective, it should reflect the
condition of active combat. During training, commanders
should be able to deploy their units as they would on the
battlefield. This requires that combat units be able to
move, shoot, and communicate while confronting an opposing
force. Currently, the amount of training land needed to
accomplish these tasks at Camp Lejeune is limited. To
satisfy these training short falls, the acquisition of
41,000 acres of additional land is needed.
"In no other profession are the penalties for employing
untrained personnel so appalling or so irrevocable as in the
military. "14
FOOTNOTES
1 Confucius, Analacts, as quoted in R.D. Heinl, Dictionary
of Military and Naval Quotations, Annapolis: U.S. Naval
Institute, 1968. p. 328.
2 Erwin Rommel, Rommel Papers, as quoted in R.D. Heinl,
Dictionary of Military and Naval Quotations Annapolis: U.
S. Naval Institute, 1968. p.328
3 U.S. Marine Corps, Camp Lejeune Marines, (New Bern: Owen
G. Dunn Company, 1955), p 2
4 U.S. Marine Corps, "The Coast of North Carolina Salutes
Camp Lejeune", (Bubbock: Boone Publication), p. 2.
5 Harland Bartholomew and Associates, Special Training
Analysis, (Memphis: Harland Bartholomew and Associates). p.
6.
6 U.S. Army, Training Land, TC 25-1, (Fort Monroe, 1978),
p. 285.
7 U.S. Army, Training and Evaluation Program, ARTEP
7-15, (Washington: 1981)
8 Harland Bartholomew and Associates, Special Training
Analysis (Memphis: Harland Bartholomew and Associates, Fig.
8.).
9 Harland Bartholomew and Associates, Special Training
Analysis (Memphis: Harland Bartholomew and Associates, Fig.
8.).
10 B.D.M. Corporation, Land and Training Area Requiremrnt,
(Norfolk: B.D.M. Corporation), p.III-11.
11 "Residents Protest Expansion Plans," Daily News, March
19,1986.
12 County of Onslow, State of North Carolina,
Resolution,January 19, 1988
13 Rich Leary, County Manager, Personal Interview about Camp
Lejeune Expansion, Jacksonville, North Carolina, February
16, 1989
14 Douglas MacArthur: Annual Report Chief of Staff, as
quoted in R. D. Heinl, Dictionary of Military and Naval
Quotations, Annapolis: U.S. Naval Institute, 1968.p.328
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