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Camp Menlo Park and its Mid Peninsula Legacy
Original post made
by jeff Kleck, Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park,
on Dec 14, 2020
Between the pandemic and political races this year, it is little wonder we haven’t paused to remember that Camp Menlo Park closed a Century ago, in January 1920. Every once in a while we are reminded that there was once a US Army Camp in Menlo Park, but few of us realize that the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen of years past are still here among us as the Service Members of today's Military. They are our neighbors, and they answer a call for which less than 2% of the population volunteer. This translates to about one person per street block. When we think of our Military, we inevitably think of foreign conflicts, but one prime mission of the Military in California is helping our communities during State and National disasters. In the midst of the pandemic these volunteers are supporting our food banks and hospitals, and during environmental disasters they are putting out fires and rescuing fellow Californians. I expect many of us just assume there are people taking care of these things, but few of us realize that it is our own volunteer Military Service Members, many of whom are not compensated for their work and good deeds. The California Military also operates several high schools for at-risk youth, a story I will share in the future. The California Military Department includes the Air, Army, and Maritime Service Members of the California National Guard, the California Naval Militia, and the California State Guard. These Services all answer to The Adjutant General (TAG) of California, Major General (MG) David Baldwin, a Stanford University Alumnus. For those who would like to volunteer, or support our volunteers, you can go to www.californiawarrior.org.
