The capacity at a new fire station at Quantico Marine Corps Base will increase 900 percent.

A new 22,500-square-foot fire station, located at 27414 Route MCB-1, in Stafford, will open later this summer, by July or August. It sits n the west side of the base, down the street from the current Fire Station 533.

The construction cost totaled $23 million. The new facility includes a 25 person training room, living quarters, kitchen/dining/day room facilities, administration offices, recreation, fitness, locker and shower rooms, personal protection equipment (PPE) storage, laundry, and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) maintenance, hazmat storage, compressed air maintenance and storage, hose storage and storage for emergency medical technician (EMT) equipment, equipment maintenance and storage, and seven-vehicle bays with industrial ceiling fans.

The current Fire Station 533 is 5,610 square feet and was built in 1984 to house four firefighters. The new station will house 40, a 900% increase.

The increased size ensures adequate space for new features and equipment previously mentioned like the fire trucks, fitness center, back-up dispatch center, etc.” writes Quantico Marine Corps Base spokesman Capt. Michael Curtis.

As the new fire station becomes open and fully operational, the current Fire Station 533 will be demolished to improve traffic flow at the intersection of routes MCB-1 and MCB-2 on the west side of the base.

While the Quantico Fire and Emergency Services receive a wide variety of calls 24/7, Curtis writes the most common type of calls for emergency medical help. About 10% of the calls Quantico firefighters respond to are for help in surrounding counties like Prince William and Stafford.

Quantico Fire and Emergency Services are made up of 82 civilian firefighters from the surrounding region. Following the opening of the new station this summer, there will be a grand opening ceremony on a future date yet to be announced.

If Quantico is tapped to host Ukrainian refugees, the Marine Corps Base will be ready.

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The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation announced the recipients of the Foundation’s 2022 Annual Awards. The recipients will be honored at the Foundation’s Annual Awards Dinner on April 30 at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Among the award winners are former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, winner of the Lejeune Recognition for Exemplary Leadership Award; Vice-Chairman of the MCHF Foundation Paul Kalsbeek, winner of the Heritage Award for outstanding support of Foundation’s mission and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Bing West, winner of the James Webb Award for his book “The Last Platoon: A Novel of the Afghanistan War.”

Award winners are recognized for their outstanding portrayal of Marine Corps history, traditions and culture in a broad range of fields, including photography, documentaries, journalism, poetry, nonfiction and fiction writing.

“The Foundation’s Annual Awards are a mark of distinction for professionals and talented artists who dedicate themselves to exploring the rich history, traditions, and culture of the Marine Corps with accuracy and authenticity,” said Maj. Gen. James W. Lukeman, USMC (Ret), president and CEO of the Foundation. “We hope this recognition shines a light on the work of our winners and inspires others to tell the story of our Marine Corps.”

The Annual Awards are judged by accomplished Marines and civilian experts.

Each winner receives a gold medallion, a commemorative brick along the Semper Fidelis Memorial Park pathway adjacent to the National Museum of the Marine Corps and for some awards, a cash prize.

• Lejeune Recognition for Exemplary Leadership Award
  Condoleezza Rice
• Heritage Award (outstanding support of Foundation’s mission)
  Paul Kalsbeek
• The Colonel Joseph Alexander Award (biography or autobiography)
  Jane Waterhouse for “Valor in Action: The Medal of Honor Paintings of Colonel Charles Waterhouse”
• The Master Sergeant Tom Bartlett Award (feature writing by an enlisted Marine)
  Gunnery Sergeant Brian Knowles, USMCR for “James Ayling: From Immigrant to a Founding Member of the Marine Corps Reserve”
• The Sergeant Major Dan Daly Award (photography – album)
  David P. Gilkey (post-humously) for “Pictures on the Radio: The Work of NPR Photojournalist David P. Gilkey”
• The Robert A. Gannon Award (poetry)
  Michael Closz for “The Haunted Garden”
• The General Roy S. Geiger Award (published aviation article)
  Patrick Reed for “Guadalcanal Fighter Pilot”
• The Major Norman Hatch Award (feature documentary)
  David Harl and Colonel Bill Davis for “Tomorrow’s Leaders”
• The Colonel Robert D. Heinl, Jr. Award (feature writing)
  James P. Gregory Jr. for “A Calamity of Errors: The Untold Story of the 5th Regiment at Blanc Mont Ridge on October 4 1918”
• The Sergeant Major Bradley Kasal Award (single photo)
  Tia Dufour for “Behind the Scenes”
• The Major Megan McClung Award (reporting by an individual covering U.S. Marines abroad)
  Elliott Woods, Tommy Andres and Maria Byrne for “Third Squad: After Afghanistan”
• The Eugene Sledge Award (memoir)
  Frank “Gus” Biggio for “The Wolves of Helmand”
• The General Oliver P. Smith Award (local news reporting)
  Erika I. Ritchie for “Most Influential: After a military death, this Garden Grove woman honors the fallen”
• The Colonel John W. Thomason, Jr. Award (combat art)
  Craig H. Streeter, Colonel USMC (Retired) for “Taxis and Terror in An Nasiriyah”
• The James Webb Award (fiction)
  Bing West for “The Last Platoon: A Novel of the Afghanistan War”

Previous winners include best-selling authors, celebrated novelists, national columnists, network producers, and active duty Marines with extraordinary talent. The Foundation honors their work in recognition of the difficulty and importance of accurately telling the Marine Corps story. Many past recipients have put themselves in harm’s way to witness first-hand the dangerous work of Marines operating in the world’s most remote locations.

The family of the late R. Lee Ermey, the Marine-turned actor known for his role as a drill instructor in Full Metal Jacket, donated more than $10,000 to the Young Marines in Dumfries.

The donation comes from the auction of Ermey’s private collection of guns, scripts, and memorabilia. Ermey, who died April 15, 2018, was the celebrity spokesperson for the Young Marines, lending his name and his staunch support to the youth program.

“R. Lee Ermey was a devoted friend of the Young Marines, and he supported us in every way possible,” said Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “He was more than a spokesman; he cared deeply about our youth and believed in our mission. We are so grateful to the Ermey family for this generous donation.”

Ermey was a frequent guest at the Young Marines’ adult leadership conference, at which he motivated and inspired the adult volunteers of the program. Ermey helped raise tens of thousands of dollars to support the mission of the Young Marines as the emcee of the charity auction at the annual Young Marines Golf Tournament.

Ronald Lee Ermey was in the U.S. Marine Corps for 11 years. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant, and later, after serving 14 months in Vietnam and two tours in Okinawa, Japan, he was bestowed the honorary rank of Gunnery Sergeant by the Marine Corps.

Medically retired in 1971, he used his G.I. Bill benefits to enroll at the University of Manila in the Philippines where he studied drama. Francis Ford Coppola was filming Apocalypse Now, in the area and cast Ermey in a featured role.

He went on to star or appear in 60 films. Ermey’s most famous role was Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket” in 1987, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe. He won the Best Supporting Actor award for the same film from The Boston Society of Film Critics. In addition, Ermey appeared in numerous character roles in such films as “Leaving Las Vegas,” “Se7en,” and “Dead Man Walking.”

“He was always very proud of his association with the Young Marines because he truly believed in our mission,” Davis said. “He was a huge supporter and met with many Young Marines to inspire while he was alive. He appreciated our efforts to instill our youth members with a powerful sense of patriotism and responsibility.”

The Young Marines Headquarters is located in the Dumfries Town Hall building, 17739 Main Street, Suite 250, Dumfries.

Registration for the Quantico 12K opened Wednesday, March 16.

The Quantico 12K will be in an in-person event on August 20 at Quantico Marine Corps Base. The seven-mile course takes runners through the grounds of Officer Candidates School, offering unique access to the area where future Marine leaders train.

“Each one of our MCM Event Series runs showcase various settings of Marine Corps Base Quantico, while also furthering our mission of promoting physical fitness,” said Rick Nealis, director of Marine Corps Marathon Organization. “In this case, the Quantico 12K gives runners a behind-the-scenes look at where the journey begins for our Marine Officers.”

The live event marks the third qualifier for the Distinguished Participant medal. To qualify, runners must register for these live events in 2022. Only one event from each tier below may count towards Distinguished Participant:

• Tier One: Historic Half events (13.1, Semper 5ive or Devil Dog Double) on May 22
• Tier Two: Belleau Wood 8K or Crossroads Trail 15K on June 25
• Tier Three: Quantico 12K on August 20
• Tier Four: Turkey Trot 10K on November 19

Registration for both the live and virtual Quantico 12K is $47, and open to ages 10 and up. Virtual runners will have from August 6 to 21 to complete the distance. Participants will receive the official event shirt, a spectacular finisher medal and more.

The event is one of seven in a series of annual events that lead up to the Marine Corps Marathon, held in Arlington and Washington, D.C.

Race season is heating up across the region, as registration is also ongoing for the Stafford Race Series 2022.

The lineup includes one virtual race and two in-person races, all located in Stafford County, Virginia. Registration is open for the Stafford Hospital Cabin Fever Virtual 5K, Halloween 5K, and Frosty 3 Miler at StaffordRaceSeries.com.

Stafford Race Series 2022’s lineup this year consists of the following dates:

• April 8: The Stafford Hospital Cabin Fever Virtual 5K
• October 29: The Halloween 5K
• December 10: The Frosty 3 Miler

More than 22,000 people looking forward to running in the Marine Corps Marathon will need to find something else to do that weekend or participate in a virtual event.

The Marine Corps Marathon today announced it canceled all events associated with the Marine Corps Marathon Weekend, Friday, October 29 to Sunday, October 31. That includes the signature 10K and 50K marathon events in Arlington, which draws tens of thousands of people each year from across the U.S. to our region.

Officials said that a virtual event would be held instead of an in-person race due to safety precautions, officials said. Race organizers did not mention the coronavirus as the reason for the cancelation.

“Although we were not able to conduct a live event for 2021, we trust that each of you understands that safety for you and our great support team took priority,” stated Col. Micheal C. Brooks, Quantico Marine Corps Base commanding officer, in a press release.

A total of 22,000 people signed up to participate in the event’s weekend, as more than half of those signed up to compete in the in-person run. Those who paid the entry fee to participate in the 10K and 50K runs will receive their registration fee refunded, or they may defer their entry to next year’s 2022 race at no additional cost.

Last year, the marathon was held virtually and attracted nearly 20,800 people. In 2019, more than 26,500 participated in both the marathon and weekend events leading up to the race.

The Marine Corps Marathon is one of multiple events in the race series. The Historic Half takes place in May, where runners race through Hospital Hill at Quantico Marine Corps Base.

The Marine Corps 17.75K, which celebrates the year the Marine Corps was founded in 1775, is held each year in March. Runners, again, traditionally travel around Quanitco Marine Corps Base.

Refugees from Afghanistan will descend on Quantico Marine Corps Base starting Sunday.

The Marine Corps Base situated between Prince William and Stafford counties is expected to house up to 5,000 refugees who have been flown to safety. Many assisted the U.S. military during its 20-year campaign in the country.

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Dominion Energy was awarded a utility energy service contract to upgrade the power infrastructure of Marine Corps Base Quantico.

The contract's length runs for 22 years and will bring in $47.9 million to the Virginia-based power company. Dominion's responsibilities for this contract will include the installation of new generators, meters, and other improvements that are designed to provide greater energy resiliency and efficiency to the base.

According to the press release from Dominion, Quantico expects to realize an average annual savings of $1.6 million due to the contract.

Dominion will also have contracting and technical support from the Naval Facilities Engineering System Command in order to carry out the contract.

According to Captain Allison Burgos, Communications Strategy and Operations Officer for Marine Base Quantico, there are no immediate issues with the base's power infrastructure but will allow them to modernize systems and reduce energy consumption.

The base's power systems have been constantly upgraded since it was installed when the Quantico base was first built in 1915.

"As new buildings and new grid technology becomes available, standard updates have been performed accordingly throughout the years," states Burgos.

Potomac Local News recently reported that Marine Corps Base Quantico is also in the process of building a new wargaming center designed to train soldiers in cyber defense. The center is scheduled to be completed and opened by 2023.

Burgos tells PLN that the upgrades to the base's power infrastructure and the building of the wargaming facility are unrelated matters.

The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission is looking into improving transportation accessibility between the Marine Corps Base and Springfield, the terminus of Metro’s blue line.

The study known as the Springfield to Quantico Enhance Transportation Feasibility Study is currently being conducted by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. The study, which began in September 2020, is looking into transportation options that would run through the corridor between the Franconia-Springfield Metro station and Quantico.

Virginia Railway Express (VRE) already serves the base with a commuter rail stop. The commuter rail system is already undergoing a major expansion that will bring more trains to the corridor, between Fredericksburg and Washington, D.C., and possible commuter rail service on weekends.

The study was the result of an amendment in the approval of DRPT’s 2020 budget made by the Virginia General Assembly. The amount that was budgeted to the department for FY 2020 was $730.5 million.

The different possibilities that the study has looked into include options such as additional express bus service, increased commuter rail service levels from the Virginia Railway Express, Bus Rapid Transit, and a possible extension of Metrorail.

The study is also looking into planned land use as well as identifying possible locations for new stations and opportunities for development. Information provided by the study’s webpage estimates that the study area’s population will grow by 24% or by roughly 550,000 by the year 2045. Jobs in the same area are estimated to grow by 34% to a total of 270,000 by the same year.

The DRPT is currently conducting a public online survey about transportation in the area covered by the study which will close on May 17. The final results of the study are expected to be presented to the General Assembly by Dec. 1.

In addition, the DRPT has also been gathering information from local governments such as those of Fairfax and Prince William Counties, transportation organizations such as the VRE and Metro, as well as the U.S. Department of Defense.