Marine Corps Recruit Depot
San Diego
Sponsorship Basics
Personal & Professional Development  RELOCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
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Why Sponsorship?
• It is required by MC & Depot Order. 
• In some cases, the first few days and first
impressions will set the tone of a tour.
• It functions primarily from the “Golden Rule”
perspective, … put yourself in the new Marine’s
boots.
• You do have a good support network to assist you
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with a wide variety of issues.
Typical Areas of Interest
• Housing
• Healthcare
• Area Familiarization
• Common Key Relocation Tasks
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Typical Areas of Interest
The best online sources of Depot information are:
www.mccsmcrd.com
http://www.mcrdsd.marines.mil/
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Housing
• Military Family Housing Center – Naval Station San
Diego - Comprehensive source of housing
information and assistance; military family housing,
civilian sector apartments and homes via Rental
Partnership Program, Drill Instructor “Priority”
Program, PPV Sites and in-house realtor.
ENCOURAGE NEW ARRIVALS NOT
TO VENTURE INTO THE SAN DIEGO
HOUSING MARKET ALONE!
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Military Family Housing Welcome Center
2625 Lehardy Street
San Diego, CA 92136 619-556-8443
http://navylifesw.com/sandiego/housing/
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Healthcare
• Update DEERS contact data - new address
information. May be accomplished in person
(Bldg. 230), via Tricare website, or by telephone.
• Area military/Tricare medical treatment facilities;
NavMedCen Balboa, Branch Med Clinic NavSta,
BMC AmphibBase, BMC NAS N. Island, BMC
NavTraCen, BMC Depot, BMC Miramar, Tricare
Out-patient Clinic Clairemont, TOC Chula Vista.
• Ask for references and recommendations
in locating Veterinarians. (MCAS Miramar Vet)
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Primary Military Medical Treatment Facility
Naval Medical Center, San Diego
34800 Bob Wilson Drive
San Diego, CA 92134-5000
OOD: (619) 532-6400
http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcsd/Pages/default.aspx
The TRICARE Service Center located in Bldg. 2, is open Monday- Friday from 7:30 am to 5:30
pm, and the phone number is 1-877-988-WEST
https://www.uhcmilitarywest.com/
The Health Benefits Advisors are available Monday-Friday from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, and their
phone number is (619) 532-8328.
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Childcare / Youth Programs

Regional Child Care Resource & Referral
Address: 2375 Recreation Way
Bldg # 3320 - Naval Station San Diego
Phone: (619) 556-8491
Assists parents in obtaining quality child care by
providing complete information and resources regarding military and
civilian providers located throughout San Diego.

The Navy’s MWR Youth Programs Department operates housing area
recreation centers and offers a wide variety of recreation programs for children
ages three to seventeen. Some of these programs include open recreation,
contract classes, field trips, teen programming, building rentals and special
events. For additional information on any of these programs or services,
contact your local Housing Area Recreation Center or call (619) 556-6165.
The Depot’s Marine Corps Family Team Building program office is the
source of information regarding ongoing on-base child/youth activities such as
flag football, cheerleading, basketball, popular dance, summer camps, and
more. (619) 524-0916.

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School Information
Metro San Diego has a broad spectrum of educational institutions
(public, private, parochial) and training opportunities available,
including programs to address special needs and interests. The
MCRD School Liaison at Marine Corps Family Team Building is
your best source for guidance with regards to school resources and
contacts. For Information and Assistance: 619-524-8032
Two of the better online school information resources –
GreatSchools.com and SchoolMatters.com - can provide a great
deal of basic information (test scores, parent feedback, links) to
those on their way to San Diego. Both websites are linked/utilized
by the DoD-sponsored MilitaryOneSource website.
http://www.militaryonesource.mil/
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Area Familiarization
• Armed Services YMCA offers an “Out and About”
tour.
619-952-0718
http://militaryymca.org/
• Encourage new Marines and family to explore the
area from the East County mountains and desert - to
the Pacific Ocean seashore and beaches - and
everywhere in-between. San Diego is blessed with
great weather, a culturally rich population, and wide
variety of activities to participate in, and places to go
virtually all-year round. If anyone ends up being
“bored” in San Diego, … it’s certainly
not for a lack of things to do.
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Common Tasks
• Initial contact / “Welcome” Message - Where applicable check with Relocation Assistance to verify if a WAP has been
requested – 619-524-5298. (Lead-Time restrictions apply). “EWAPs have distinct advantages, and are acceptable.
• Temporary Lodging - Depot Transient Billeting
(619-524-4401), Navy Lodge at MCAS Miramar, Navy Lodge at
NavSta and NAS North Island. 1-800-NAVY-INN (1-800-628-9466).
• Utilities – Advise that most require service-connection deposits in
advance; San Diego Gas & Electric, Water, Telephone, Cable, etc.
• Change of Address - Can be taken care of online at
www.usps.com or by submitting the form included in the Changeof-Address kit available at the post office.
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Need-to-Know, Nice-to-Know
• Locate Local California Department of Motor
Vehicle (DMV) Service Centers. www.dmv.ca.gov
California Law:
Children under the age of 8 must be secured in a car
seat or booster seat in the back seat.
Children under the age of 8 who are 4' 9" or taller
may be secured by a safety belt in the back seat.
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DMV Centers (San Diego)
General Information (800) 777-0133
3960 Normal St., 92103
4375 Derrick Dr., 92117
* Chula Vista Location - 30 N. Glover Avenue
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Need-to-Know, Nice-to-Know
• San Diego County Recorder/Clerk Offices and Annexes –
(858) 694-3900, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.
• RECORDER - accepts and records legal instruments
(documents) required by law upon payment of proper
fees and taxes. Functions include the maintenance of
birth, marriage and death records and indexes for San
Diego County.
• COUNTY CLERK - functions include issuing, marriage
licenses and performing civil marriage ceremonies,
notaries public, process servers, and professional certified
photocopiers.
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San Diego County Recorder/Clerk
Offices and Annexes
Kearny Mesa Branch Office
Main Office
5473 Kearny Villa Rd. 92123
1600 Pacific Highway, Room 260
3rd Floor (858) 505-6262
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 237-0502
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Words of Wisdom from YOU, …
the Sponsor
• Advise in-bound Marines to prepare for the financial impact of
the move to San Diego in order to cushion the effect of higher
prices in housing and utilities rates.
• The best one-stop info source is the Depot’s monthly
Commanding General’s Welcome Aboard
at Personal & Professional Development – Building 14.
• Encourage the new Marine and family to take advantage of the
many military and civilian-sector activity and support
programs; including – PPD, Single Marine Program, Family
Readiness/LINKS, Child,Youth & Teen Activities, Armed
Services YMCA, and the USO.
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Quality Time
 The time that you, a sponsor will need to
dedicate to assisting a Marine & family who
are new to the Depot - and the San Diego
Community - may only be a few hours or a
couple of days – at most. Don’t underestimate
the value of your guidance and understanding,
… your sponsorship effort is appreciated, and
it upholds the time-honored Marine motto of “Taking Care of our own.”
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Relocation Assistance Program Office
IMPORTANT: If you have viewed this brief in order to comply
with Depot Order Sponsor Orientation requirements - please call
or email the Relocation Assistance Program office to request
verification and/or to receive an electronic certificate of
completion. Also make sure that your unit/office sponsorship
coordinator records this training for unit tracking and inspection
purposes.
(619) 524-5298
james.yost@usmc.mil
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