Welcome to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island! Your New Duty Station

Welcome to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, the birthplace of Marines since 1915. Parris Island is deeply embedded in Marine Corps culture. Its swamps, sand fleas, and demanding environment are part of every East Coast Marines shared experience. Approximately 20,000 recruits joining the Marine Corps from areas east of the Mississippi River train at the Depot every year. About 2,000 permanent active duty personnel and 800 more civilian employees support these training efforts. The Depot has one gate with a visitor center that's typically only open during graduation weekends, but that shouldn't be a problem for active duty service members. You should be able to handle anything you typically do at the Visitor Control Center, at the gate, or at the Provost Marshal's office. After you get checked in, the Military Housing Office is ready to help you find your new home on or off base, and the Depot Commissary and Exchange have everything you'll need to get settled. The Depot is a small base, lacking some of the recreational facilities you might be used to, but luckily Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort is just 10 miles to the north and has plenty of additional facilities and services you can access. The surrounding communities of Port Royal and Beaufort are also full of beautiful beaches, great restaurants, and lots of historic charm to keep you busy. You have an important mission here, and you get to do it on the beautiful South Carolina coast in one of the United States' most historic cities, so make the most of it. Welcome to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Paris Island.