MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- With the outbreak of COVID-19, units aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton have changed their daily operations and procedures to coincide with the current health protection condition guidelines, ensuring the safety of base personnel.
As health protection levels increase, the mission of the Camp Pendleton Installation Personnel Administration Center will continue to be met, but in a slightly different manner.
“The major changes that we have incorporated here at the inbound branch is we have added a two tier system to how customers are serviced,” said U.S. Marine Master Sgt. Jose Rincon, the staff noncommissioned officer in charge for IPAC’s inbound branch, Marine Corps Installations West, MCB Camp Pendleton. “The first group of questions we have to ask to protect everyone is, ‘Are you coming from overseas?’”
Upon entering the inbound branch, Marines will be met with a screening station where they'll be directed to sanitize and asked if they are coming from overseas. If they are transferring from an overseas duty station, an endorsement to their orders will be provided and the Marines will be sent to their parent command. From there, their new command will provide the necessary steps to assist them with self isolation in either their barracks or residence.
If a Marine is not coming from overseas, they will proceed to the next step where they will then be serviced while still practicing social distancing. The amount of people entering the building is also constantly monitored to ensure Marines can maintain a safe distance between one another.
“As the health protection level increases, one thing that we have to be aware of is we’re going to have a reduction of personnel, obviously for the safeguarding of our personnel that we service and to include my staff,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Sandy Alvarez, the IPAC director for MCI-West, MCB Camp Pendleton. “The issue here is we’re going to have to do more with less, but as Marines we’ve always done that, so once again we’ll adjust.”
As the health protection level increases, IPAC will continue to stay open. The staff will update their procedures to follow along with the MCI-West and Department of Defense guidelines. One thing Marines can do is submit their documents through electronic personnel action requests, or EPARs, this reduces the amount of traffic through the building, while still getting essential documents recorded, according to Alvarez.
“One mission remains, and like the commanding general has said over and over, we’re here to support the warfighter.” said Rincon. “That's what administration exists for.”