— Graduation guides · Marine Corps
What families should know before graduation at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, San Diego, California. Checked against official sources in September 2026.
— The basics
Official information: Family and graduation information. Schedules and rules change, so check there before you travel.
— Upcoming classes
Each class has its own page with a countdown to share with your group.
— Getting on base
— On the day
— Questions families ask
The depot has on-base lodging, the Marine Lodge San Diego, which MCCS says sits about 200 yards from graduation events and is open to families of graduating Marines during graduation week only, Wednesday to Saturday. Book at lodgingreservations.usmc-mccs.org or (619) 524-4401. The depot sits just north of the airport and northwest of downtown, so Old Town, Point Loma, Mission Valley and downtown hotels are all short drives to Gate 5. On-depot rooms are limited, so reserve as soon as you have the date. Source
No gate pass or pre-registration is required for Family Day or graduation. Every visitor vehicle enters through Gate 5 on Washington Street, which opens at 6:30 a.m. both days, and vehicles and people are searched on entry. Drivers need a valid license, registration and proof of insurance. Rideshares are allowed in after a vehicle search. Source
Gate 5 on Washington Street, which opens at 6:30 a.m. on both Family Day and graduation. Every vehicle and person is searched on entry, so have license, registration and proof of insurance ready. Rideshares are allowed in after a vehicle search, which makes them a good option if your hotel is close. The optional Colors Ceremony is 7:30 to 8:30 and seating for graduation closes at 9:45. Source
Every visitor 18 and older must show a REAL ID license or an approved alternative such as a U.S. passport, and everyone 16 and up needs a valid photo ID. If your license is not REAL ID, MCCS says to bring a valid state photo ID plus one secondary document in the same name, such as an original birth certificate or Social Security card, with a marriage certificate if the name changed. Non-citizens need a valid, unexpired passport and a U.S. visa or entry stamp. An expired passport is not listed as acceptable. Source
Gate 5 opens at 6:30 a.m. The optional Colors Ceremony runs 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., graduation seating is 8:30 to 9:45 a.m., and the ceremony runs 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. outdoors on Shepherd Field. On Family Day, Thursday, the Motivational Run starts at 8:30 a.m., briefs follow in the Depot Theater, and depot liberty runs until 5:30 p.m., during which new Marines cannot leave the depot. Confirm the week's schedule on the MCCS Graduation Day page. Source
Official pages say new Marines cannot leave the depot during liberty and may eat, shop, bowl and visit with family on base. Alcohol is prohibited in the visitor picnic and tailgate areas. Specific rules on gifts, cash, food or phones for the new Marine are not published; ask at the Welcome Orientation brief in the Depot Theater on Family Day morning. Source
Your recruit mails home a letter in the first two weeks with the exact address, and the company and platoon number arrive by letter about 2 to 3 weeks in. The address format is Recruit Name, Battalion, Company Office, Platoon number, 40004 Midway Ave., San Diego, CA 92140-5670. For a true emergency, call the American Red Cross Hero Care Center at 877-272-7337 with the recruit's name, company and platoon. There is no depot phone line for a parent who has simply lost contact. Source
Yes. The depot streams graduation only on its official YouTube channel, and recorded ceremonies are also posted on DVIDS. Check facebook.com/mcrdsd or mcrdsd.marines.mil the week of graduation for the current link. Source
The MCRD Museum Foundation holds platoon books and rosters. Books did not exist before mid-1953; for mid-1953 to May 1989 you make an appointment with the historian to view and photograph the book, and from June 1989 on you can order a copy. Call 619-524-4426 or email marketing@mcrdmhs.org with your platoon number and graduation year. Your own service record can be requested free from the National Personnel Records Center at vetrecs.archives.gov. Source
— The photos
Every photo from MCRD San Diego becomes a numbered keepsake card, front and back, with the unit, the base and the date. You get a video and one page the whole family can open, and every card has a code on the back that opens it. Graduated a while ago? It is not too late.
— Sources
Checked in September 2026 against these official pages. CardMyService is not affiliated with the Department of Defense or any branch.