WELCOME ABOARD

Welcome to Marine Corps Forces South. We want to ensure your transition to our command is as easy and smooth as possible. We are a small, tight-knit command who work hard and value the meaning of teamwork. A key benefit to our small size is that we all know each other personally and make ourselves available to help our fellow command members and their families. During your tour, we hope that you will take advantage of the opportunity to become part of our larger MARFORSOUTH family.

Parking

Parking at the Marine Corps Support Facility New Orleans (MARCORSPTFAC) is limited and restricted.  All visitors and check-ins must park on the first deck of the parking garage (entrances on O'Bannon St. and Sanctuary Dr.) and route through the visitor's venter on the southeast side of the facility. 

Accessing the Facility
As a new arrival, you will not be able to access or park inside the facility (unless previously coordinated).  All access to the facility is controlled and requires a pass.  After parking your vehicle, please proceed to the Visitor’s Center (indicated above) to receive your visitor’s pass.  Once you have your pass, please proceed to the first floor of the McCarthy building to begin your check-in process. 

Checking In
All personnel checking in during normal working hours will first check in with their respective MSC G-1 in order to receive a reporting endorsement.  Then the member and sponsor will come down to the IPAC to complete their audit, be issued a check-in sheet, and start the check-in process.  It is highly recommended that you immediately get your permanent personnel Common Access Badge (CAB) from the Security Management Office.  This badge will give you access to the facility, the building and specified work spaces. 

Documentation
All service members must have their Original Orders and a valid Active Duty ID card.  All members in possession of their hard copy SRB/OQR and Medical/Dental records must have these items with them upon reporting.  If the member comes from a unit that does have hard copy medical records, you will submit those to the clinic aboard Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base Belle Chasse when reporting there.  Those that have electronic service and medical records are only required to have their orders and ID when reporting.  Finally, it is recommended that you bring PT gear so you can complete check-in with the training section.

Uniform
Marines reporting in for duty during working hours should be in the Service “A” uniform.
Sailors reporting in for duty during working hours shall report in Dress Whites/Blues depending upon the season.

Barracks and Temporary Lodging
If a new service member arrives at this command Monday - Friday before 1630, he or she must obtain a reporting endorsement and check-in sheet prior to being assigned a room in the barracks.  See the HQBN S-4 Enlisted Barracks Manager or the Barracks 562 Front Desk Staff (aboard NASJRB Belle Chasse). 

Members arriving after working hours or on non-work days must contact the OOD and/or DNCO and arrange to meet up with one of those individuals on duty to get their orders and the duty logbook annotated with the date and time of the member's arrival.  Service members arriving between 1700 - 2200 will be assigned a barracks room by the Barracks 562 Front Desk Staff (504) 678-7054.  For those arriving after 2200, there is on-base lodging available at the Navy Gateway Inn & Suites (504) 678-3419 aboard NASJRB Belle Chasse.  If NGIS is unavailable, the Federal City Inn (504) 366-7408 as well as numerous other local hotels are options for temporary lodging.  Ensure you receive receipts from any hotels in the local area - the receipt will be used to receive a statement of non-availability from the HQBN S-4 Enlisted Barracks Manager, if required.

Vehicle Registration
Privately owned vehicles must be registered aboard the Facility.  Vehicle registration requires valid driver’s license, insurance, inspection and registration and can be done at the Visitor’s Center. 

After-Hours Check In
All service members reporting in after hours must contact the Officer of the Day (504) 616-9448 or the Duty Noncommissioned Officer (504) 715-5154 to coordinate the time and location to obtain a stamp on your orders.  After working hours, the DNCO is located aboard NASJRB Belle Chasse, and the OOD stands a phone duty. 
 

HOUSING

Due to its size, there is no government housing available aboard the Facility.  However, there is government housing available at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Belle Chasse and at Federal City.  Both groups of housing are managed by the Housing Office at NAS JRB Belle Chasse in association with Patrician Military Housing (the Public Private Venture partner with the Navy). 

Choosing a place to live is one of the most challenging and stressful aspects of any move.  Please refer to the "Commuting" portion of this web page in order to familiarize yourself with driving times and distances that are associated with potential places to live.  Also, there is information on local schools available in the "Schools" link to the left. 

Please check with your insurance provider when making a decision on where to live because prices may vary depending upon your zip code.

For more information on housing, please use the following links:

The Village at Federal City
NAS JRB Belle Chasse

SCHOOLS

On Base School
Families that live in military housing aboard the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Belle Chasse or the Village at Federal City may enroll their elementary aged children at Belle Chasse Academy. Belle Chasse Academy is part of the local school system, serves grades K through 8 and is aboard the base. Busing is available to and from the Village at Federal City.

Military families that do not live on base may enroll their children at Belle Chasse Academy as space allows. Please contact the school for additional information.

Off-Base Schools
There are several different types of schools available in the New Orleans area, consisting of either public or private schools.

Unlike some areas of the country, your address may or may not determine what public school your child will or can attend; it will vary depending upon the Parish in which you reside. For example, in Orleans Parish, families have the option of choosing from a variety of public and charter schools regardless of where the school is located. Transportation is often an issue and must be considered when deciding which school to attend.

Of note is the establishment of the high school New Orleans Military and Maritime Academy (NOMMA), which is a public, type-2 charter school that is affiliated with the military. It is located immediately adjacent to the Marine Corps Support Facility.

For additional information, please contact the School Liaison Office at NAS JRB Belle Chasse at 504-678-3452. Other information can be found at the links below:
 
Louisiana Department of Education
 
Orleans Parish School Board
 
Plaquemines Parish School Board
 
Jefferson Parish School Board
 
St Tammany Parish School Board
 
St Charles Parish School Board
 

FAMILY SERVICES

The size of the Facility does not allow for full family services that are available at larger Marine Corps Installations.  However, our proximity to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Belle Chasse allows us to take advantage of their Fleet and Family Services Center, which offers a complete listing of services.

Additionally, the Marine Forces Reserve MCCS offers limited Community Services locally that are managed in support of Headquarters Battalion. 

For more information on available Family Services, please use the links below:

NAS JRB Belle Chasse Fleet and Family Services
Marine Forces Reserve MCCS
 

Child Care
There is a Child Development Center aboard NAS JRB Belle Chasse. For more information on the CDC, please contact them at 504-678-3654.

There are also several child care facilities in the area.

COMMUTING

As with most major cities, traffic and commuting can be challenging.  Areas on the East Bank, to include those on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, will include various traffic choke points that need to be considered when choosing a place to live.  An advantage to living on the West Bank is the elimination of the choke points in the daily commute to the Facility.
 
The traffic choke points that may slow your commuting time to and from the Facility:

• The Causeway is the 24 mile bridge that crosses Lake Pontchartrain from Mandeville to New Orleans.

• The Crescent City Connection carries U.S. Route 90 Business over the Mississippi River in New Orleans.  This is a toll, going into the city costs $1.00 (unless you have a Geaux Pass, in which case it is $.40 per trip).  Travelling away from the city is free.
 
• The I-10 Twin Span Bridge (also known as the Twin Spans) crosses the eastern end of Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans to Slidell. 

• The I-10 High Rise Bridge (known locally as the High Rise) carries 6 lanes of Interstate 10 over the Industrial Canal in eastern New Orleans.

Commuting Distances and Times

Average Commuting Distances and Times to MARCORSPTFAC (does not account for delays associated with traffic):

HEALTHCARE

Medical and Dental
The size of the Facility does not allow for the medical or dental services that are available at larger Marine Corps Installations.  However, there is a small clinic site on the first deck of the building to support basic medical/dental exams and lower-level medical care.  Our proximity to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Belle Chasse allows us to take advantage of the full range of their Navy Medical and Dental support provided by the Medical Clinic there.  Also, TRICARE services are provided in the local area for both active and reserve personnel.

The Clinic offers Expanded Acute Care Hours
0600-0900 Monday to Friday at the MFRC Clinic Annex

Acute access for:
Cold Symptoms
Insect bites
Nausea / vomiting / diarrhea
Shoulder injury
Elbow injury
Wrist injury
Knee injury
Calf / ankle / foot injury
Blisters, abrasions, and minor burns
Suture removal
Eye discomfort (pink eye)

For more information on available medical and dental services please use the links below:

Naval Medical and Dental Clinic Belle Chasse

TRICARE

COMMISSARY / NEX

There is a small convenience store aboard the facility; however, due to its size, there is no commissary or exchange available aboard the Facility. A commissary and exchange is located aboard the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Belle Chasse.

For more information on your local commissary and exchange, please use the following links:

Commissary
Exchange