Marine Corps, Combat Center phases out car decals

Twentynine Palms -- In accordance with Marine Corps Administrative Message 245/16, the Combat Center has eliminated the use of car decals aboard the installation.

According to MARADMIN 245/16 the decals no longer serve a useful purpose, specifically to preform 100 percent identification checks for all personnel entering the base. For active duty personnel, ID checks will be performed with the common access card while dependents and veterans will need appropriate government issued identification.

Prior to this, every vehicle was required to have a decal denoting their affiliation with the base, placed on their windshield in order to be allowed aboard the Combat Center.

“The process to register a vehicle has not changed, except for the fact that we are not using the decals on the car anymore,” said Master Sgt. Jeremy Gohl, provost sergeant, PMO. “We have to check the driver’s common access card as they enter the base with or without the stickers.”

All Marines are still required to register their vehicles when they check in and check out of their respective unit, however they will not need to fill out DD Form 2220 to receive their decals. According to Gohl, the old decals can be removed and disposed of by the vehicle owner.

“Phasing out the decals puts the responsibility of registering personally owned vehicles on the individual Marine,” Gohl said. “This also places more responsibility on the small unit leadership to ensure their Marines are registering their vehicles. In the end we will still vet every person who comes onto base, just in a more effective manner.”