Provides Volunteers and Funds to Support the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum

The Foundation provides volunteers to restore historic aircraft and staff the Museum six days per week. It also provides funds and materials to support the restoration and maintenance of the vintage aircraft, fund Museum operations and educational programs, and preserve artifacts.

Collects and Processes Oral Histories

The Foundation records oral histories of USMC veterans and provides funds to maintain a large resource library.

School Lesson Plans and Field Trips

The Foundation established an educational collaboration with the Character Education Resource Center at the University of San Diego (USD) to develop meaningful, standards-based teacher resources for grades K-12 in history, leadership, patriotism, citizenship and aviation science. Lessons reflect unique resources available at the Museum.

• A teacher workshop (below) and school lesson plans are developed under the guidance of Edward DeRoche, Ph.D., director of the Character Education Resource Center at USD and a nationally recognized expert and author in teaching, administrative leadership and character education.

Teacher Workshop

The Foundation and its USD partners hosts a workshop for San Diego County teachers annually. This workshop fills a gap in teacher training.

• According to the U.S. Department of Education, only 12% of America’s high school seniors are “proficient” in U.S. History.
  Surveys of educators indicate teacher resources are badly needed.

Essay Contest

Annually a patriotically-themed essay contest is sponsored for students in 6-12 grades residing in San Diego and Imperial counties. 

Marine Wife of the Year Award

A Marine Wife is recognized at the annual gala with a plaque and stipend for outstanding service and dedication to her community, her family and the Marine Corps.

Distinguished Service Award

The 2018 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award is Major General Charles F. Bolden Jr.; Marine, Astronaut, Leader and Patriot.

History

The original Foundation was established in 1989 at MCAS El Toro. When Base Realignment closed El Toro in 1999, a group of retired Marines from San Diego, led by Major Generals Bob Butcher and Frank Lang, formed the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation and moved the aircraft and artifacts to MCAS Miramar.