MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- GEOFidelis West entertained and educated Camp Pendleton children and adults alike, during the third annual Geospatial Information Systems Day at Bldg. 1160, Nov. 18.
Patrons who attended the event learned about GIS’s importantce on base through visual displays, informational booths and by speaking with GIS experts.
“This (event) gives us the opportunity to show Marines, sailors and government employees who work on base, what we do,” said William Russell, director, GEOFidelis West.
According to the GEOFidelis West Web site, the organization was established to sustain all west-coast Marine Corps installation geospatial assets in support of the Corps’ mission.
One of the primary functions of GIS is to produce maps which assist the base in making important planning decisions. These decisions often include keeping base ranges and training areas within safety and environmental regulations. Careful planning is especially critical with the recent increase of military construction, said Russell.
Not only does GIS support the base’s military training needs, they have partnered with Camp Pendleton’s Provost Marshal’s Office to support their mission as well.
“GIS created a chart which helps us map criminal incidents on base,” said Joe Grabman, assistant service officer, Support Services Division, PMO.
The chart’s data includes the type of crimes and the location of each incident. This helps PMO determine trends and assist in crime prevention, Grabman explained.
Service members and government employees were not the only attendees to be educated on GIS’s importance.
Students from Mary Fay Camp Pendleton Elementary School enjoyed interactive events at the affair’s geography and technology booths.
“I understand maps and geography so much better,” said Maryana Villalpando, a fifth grade student from Mary Fay Camp Pendleton Elementary School.
The students not only learned how to read maps, they also learned how to plan a safety route from their homes in case of a fire or other emergency.
The mission of GIS is to educate everyone with geospatial information and how to use it for their benefit, said Russell.
For more information or services provided by GIS, visit www.geofiwest.usmc.mil.