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WHY DO MARINES LIVE IN CAMPS & NOT FORTS?


BEAST
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This question popped into my mind and I can't find an answer. Why isn't Camp Lejeune called Fort Lejuene? I always thought camp meant that it was a temporary site or not an active post i.e. only used for reservists.

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Marines are always on the move. Far more nomadic life style than the log fort of the army frontier times. Even though Camp Lejuene isn’t going anywhere, I think “Camp” is just part of their culture,a connotation more temporary than fort. But I am NOT a Marine (I just admire them from afar) so this is just my guess.

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The Army used the term "camp" up till around 1954-55. I was born at "Camp Chaffee" in 53' and it says that on my birth certificate.

 

The Army also used the term "fort" from the time of its inception during the Revolutionary War up through the end of the 19th Century or thereabouts, so why they changed to "camp" is a mystery to me.

 

If anyone can shed more light on this, I would like to know.

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Very good points! Since forts and bases are more permanent facilities, I guess MCB Camp Lejeune has kept its name for traditions sake.

 

Stony, from what I have read, forts are locations that can provide logistical support to armies in the field which are located in camps. Some camps become Forts such as Camp Knox becoming Fort Knox, Camp McCoy becomes Fort McCoy, etc.

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Anything is better than "joint base".

 

I agree. I've lived near JBLM for 50 years and I still call it "McChord AFB" and "Ft. Lewis".

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I did a Google search and found two explanations.

 

The first one states that historically the bases would only be temporary for the time when they were not on board ships so they were named camps rather than forts.

 

The second one states that camps and forts are determined by size. Since Marine Corps bases are smaller in size, they are called camps rather than forts.

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