MARINE CORPS SYSTEMS COMMAND, QUANTICO, Va. -- Nearly 15,000 invited guests are expected to participate in the formal dedication of the new National Museum of the Marine Corps on Nov. 10, and Marine Corps Systems Command is a major contributor to the festivities.
While the museum will serve as a lasting tribute to Marines, MARCORSYSCOM will give guests an opportunity to see the operational equipment used by today’s Marines and a glimpse of weapons, vehicles and systems that may be available to tomorrow’s Marines.
President George Bush is scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the ceremony, which will also be attended by federal, state and local elected officials; senior DoD and Marine Corps leadership, Marine Corps war veterans; active duty Marines; and Marine Corps Heritage Foundation donors and members.
The participants also include more than 200 MARCORSYSCOM personnel, both Marines and civilians, who will display tons of equipment and answer questions for guests.
“We are proud to be a part of this special historic event,” said Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, MARCORSYSCOM commander. “It’s a great opportunity for us to show how we equip the warfighter to win.”
The exhibits will be displayed next to the ceremony area most of the dedication day. The museum, a joint venture of the U.S. Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, is located on a 135-acre site adjacent to the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Va. According to the Foundation, the ceremony represents a special opportunity for the project’s supporters to “celebrate the creation of a magnificent new complex dedicated to the commemoration of Marine service throughout our nation’s history.”
MARCORSYSCOM’s contribution to the dedication includes exhibits and displays of:
• High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS)
• Light Armored Vehicle with 25mm Cannon (LAV-25)
• Cougar – Hardened Engineers Vehicle (HEV) / Joint EOD Rapid Respond Vehicle (JERRV)
• Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) with Marine Armor System (MAS)
• Marine Corps Transparent Armor Gun Shield (MCTAGS)
• Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV)
• Lightweight 155mm Howitzer (also known as the M777)
• Command and Control On-the-Move Network, Digital Over-the-Horizon Relay (CONDOR) Gateway
• Advanced Man-Portable Air Defense System (A-MANPADS)
• Individual Ballistic Protection and Load Bearing Equipment, General Support Equipment and Clothing
• Various Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Items
• Various Infantry Weapons Systems
• Various Non-Lethal Weapons (NLW)
• Various Information Systems and Equipment
• Various Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory Items
• Dragon Eye Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
• Sherpa Parachute System, one of the Joint Precision Air Delivery Systems (JPADS)
• Multi-Mission Parachute System (MMPS) and the Parachutist High Altitude Oxygen System (PHAOS)
• Divers Propulsion Device (DPD)
• Marine Motorcycle
• Combat Operations Center
• AN/TPQ 46 Firefinder Radar System
• Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer (ISMT)
• Gladiator – Tactical Unmanned Guided Vehicle (TUGV)
• Target Location, Designation and Handoff System (TLHS)
• High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) with Marine Armor Kit (MAK)
For more information about the dedication of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, visit: www.usmcmuseum.org/news_FeatureEvent.asp.