Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar at a glance

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar is a Marine aviation installation in San Diego, California. It supports the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and other tenant organizations by operating air station facilities, providing material services and maintaining training venues. The station's publicly described role includes readiness and support for joint operations in the Indo-Pacific region. Its mission is tied to the Marine Corps' aviation community.

Miramar's military history began with the Army's Camp Kearny in 1917. Army, Navy and Marine activities used the area at different times, including aviation training during World War II. In the 1990s the Navy's associated fighter training and aircraft units relocated as Marines returned. The installation became fully operational as a Marine Corps air station in 1997.

Also searched as: MCAS Miramar, Naval Air Station Miramar, Camp Kearny.

Sources: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS

Mission and major activities

• Aviation support to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
• Airfield, material and training venue services.
• Installation readiness for joint force activities.

Sources: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS

History and identity

Camp Kearny opened in 1917. The later transition from naval air station to Marine air station was completed in the 1990s.

Sources: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS

Location and community

Miramar is within the San Diego community, with Scripps Ranch adjoining the installation.

Sources: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS

A Marine aviation station in the San Diego community

MCAS Miramar supports Marine aviation readiness and the organizations associated with the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing. Its air station mission includes the facilities and services that sustain aviation units, so a Miramar assignment can involve aircraft maintenance, aviation support, administration, or installation services as well as aircrew work. Check the named unit instead of assuming every position belongs to the same squadron.

The installation's history reaches back to Camp Kearny in 1917 and includes successive Army, Navy, and Marine aviation uses. The later transfer of Marine aviation from El Toro and Tustin helped establish its modern Marine Corps identity. Miramar is in the northern part of San Diego, near Mira Mesa. Camp Pendleton and Naval Air Station North Island are separate installations elsewhere in the region; nearby military facilities do not necessarily share Miramar's housing, clinic, or daily travel arrangements.

Official sources: MCAS Miramar installation overview

A San Diego housing offer may be away from the station

The installation housing guide identifies Liberty Military Housing and explains that housing serving the Miramar community includes locations on the station and elsewhere in San Diego County. A housing offer should therefore be evaluated by its actual address rather than by the fact that it is military housing. Ask which community is being offered and compare it with the assigned workplace and school or childcare destinations.

Availability and waiting periods depend on the homes selected and the circumstances of the application. Keep an estimated offer date distinct from a confirmed move-in date when arranging temporary lodging and shipments. Miramar's relocation resources also identify financial management assistance through The HUB, which can help households examine the moving budget. A useful budget comparison includes the housing arrangement and recurring travel commitments; it should not assume that every military housing neighborhood has the same relationship to the station.

Official sources: MCAS Miramar housing guidance

Miramar's clinic is not an emergency department

The station's Branch Health Clinic provides outpatient care, while the health guide distinguishes the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing active-duty appointment route from other clinic arrangements. Confirm the appropriate primary care assignment for each family member rather than using the sponsor's unit clinic as a substitute for enrollment.

Miramar's clinic does not have an emergency room or urgent care service. The installation guide identifies Naval Medical Center San Diego as an emergency-care resource, a material distinction for families comparing the station clinic with a hospital. Occupational health is also a separate service associated with workplace health needs. Dental care at the Miramar clinic primarily supports active-duty personnel, so families should establish their own dental arrangements. Before moving, identify the receiving clinic, referral requirements, and location of continuing treatment without relying on an old directory schedule.

Official sources: MCAS Miramar health care

Published addresses and access

Use the destination label below to distinguish visitor access, a service office and postal mail. A published address does not authorize entry. Confirm current access, sponsorship, appointments and reporting instructions with the official office before travelling.

Before you arrive

Use these questions with your sponsor or gaining organization. They are a starting point for planning, including assignments, courses and training periods that differ from a routine permanent change of station.

1. Confirm the organization, duration and reporting instructions shown on your orders. Ask which office handles your arrival.
2. Clarify lodging and housing arrangements before booking. Ask about availability, required approvals and how to handle a late arrival.
3. Before choosing a home, compare the commute, lease terms, school needs and your household budget. Ask the housing office about the options that apply to your situation.
4. Coordinate household goods and personal travel with the appropriate transportation office. Keep orders, receipts and important family records together.
5. Make a short list of contacts for medical care, schools, childcare and family support, where applicable to your assignment.

Official PCS planning resources   Housing allowance information

Sources: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS

Resources for service members and families

Start with the official resources for Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and ask which services your household can use. For a training site, rotational location or Reserve component assignment, confirm arrangements with your unit rather than assuming the services of a large residential installation are available.

From this mission to your next career

The mission at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar suggests the following areas to consider when describing your experience. These are LockLeed career suggestions based on the public mission, not a list of vacancies or qualifications held by everyone assigned here.

Write down the equipment, systems, processes and teams you personally supported. Add a specific result you can discuss publicly, then match that evidence to the civilian role you want. Keep operational details and sensitive information out of your application.

Official transition resources   Explore SkillBridge programs

Official contacts and installation services

Use the named official resource for this installation or its support community. A directory link does not establish service eligibility, availability or a reporting location. Confirm arrangements with the office or your gaining organization.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and editorial notes

Installation facts above are drawn from the official sources below. Career suggestions and planning questions are LockLeed editorial guidance. Use official offices for current policies, eligibility and arrangements.

1. Marine Corps Air Station Miramar overview: MilitaryINSTALLATIONSSupports: overview, mission, history, local context, planning note
2. MCAS Miramar housing guidanceSupports: expanded guide and official services
3. MCAS Miramar health careSupports: expanded guide and official services

Reviewed 2026-09-30. This independent guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense. Map points are approximate and are not routing or reporting instructions.