The United States Marine Corps has two main boot camp locations where recruits undergo their initial training:
- Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) Parris Island, South Carolina : This is the more famous boot camp location, often called the "boot camp capital of the world." It has been operating since 1915 and trains recruits primarily from the eastern United States
- Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego, California : This location has been in operation since 1923 and trains recruits mainly from the western United States. It is situated near San Diego Bay and the San Diego International Airport
The general rule for assigning recruits is based on geography relative to the Mississippi River:
- Recruits from the eastern side of the Mississippi River typically go to Parris Island.
- Recruits from the western side of the Mississippi River usually go to San Diego
In addition to these two primary recruit training depots, there are other Marine Corps bases used for specialized training such as:
- Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia (Officer Candidates School)
- Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona (aviation and air support training)
- Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California (infantry and combat training)
However, for the standard enlisted Marine boot camp, the two main locations are Parris Island and San Diego. In summary, Marine boot camp is conducted mainly at:
- Parris Island, South Carolina
- San Diego, California
with the location determined largely by the recruit's geographic location relative to the Mississippi River
