MCLB Barstow hosts MCIWEST Commanders Conference

By By: Kristyn Galvan | Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow | October 6, 2026

Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow hosted a Marine Corps Installations West commanders conference Sept. 10-11, 2026, bringing together senior leaders and representatives from installations across the region to discuss shared challenges, exchange best practices and strengthen collaboration across the region.

The conference welcomed Brig. Gen. Nick I. Brown, commanding general, MCIWEST, Sgt. Maj. Sherri Cook, senior enlisted leader of MCIWEST, along with leaders and representatives from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, MCAS MIRAMAR, MCAS Camp Pendleton, Marine Air Ground Tactical Force Training Command Twenty-Nine Palms, and Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, gathering provided an opportunity for commanders and senior leaders to discuss installation priorities, share lessons learned and identify ways to strengthen support for Marines, sailors, civilian employees and their families while maintaining mission readiness.

“It is awe inspiring to see you all in action every single day; it is not easy at the levels you are all at and the sacrifices that you face head on in the day to day. The train never stops, it is a busy time, so I thank you all for being here,” Brig. Gen. Brown

“This year, we are going to focus on the best practices on day one and because you are doing such great things out there, coming together and doing this, understanding what other bases are doing. Everything from how you manage resources, to how you take care of your Marines, whatever the topic is that you lay out, it is meant to make all MCIWEST better.”

Commander’s conferences provide senior leaders with an opportunity to step away from their individual installation environments and examine challenges and opportunities from a broader regional perspective. By sharing experiences and successful practices, leaders can identify solutions that may benefit installations throughout MCIWEST.

“I’m excited to be here because we have all the senior leaders of MCIWEST in one room together to use this time to collaborate, look at best practices, and to look at some things that are going well or some things that are going no so well so that we can work on fixing those gaps collectively,” Sgt. Maj. Cook stated. “I believe that true leadership is not about the cliché of doing ‘more with less’ but, how to operate and maneuver with those things we have; how to be flexible and agile to accomplish the mission-that is what makes us Marines.”

In addition to conference discussions, attendees received an opportunity to see several of MCLB Barstow's unique capabilities and missions firsthand during a tour of the installation. The tour included stops at the Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard stables and Rail Operations, highlighting capabilities that contribute to the installation's mission and distinguish MCLB Barstow within the MCIWEST region.

At the stables, guests received an inside look at the MCG and the training and care required to maintain the unit's horses. The visit provided leaders with an opportunity to engage with Marines and personnel responsible for a mission that combines ceremonial tradition, horsemanship and community engagement. The group also toured Rail Operations, providing attendees with a closer look at the capabilities and personnel supporting the movement of thousands of pieces of Department of War equipment annually, and resources through one of MCLB Barstow's critical mission areas. The combination of conference discussions and installation tours allowed visiting leaders to gain a broader understanding of MCLB Barstow's mission while providing Barstow personnel an opportunity to showcase the capabilities that support the Marine Corps worldwide.

“If we walk out of here even just one percent better, we will have accomplished what we have come here to accomplish,” Brig. Gen. Brown said.

As Marine Corps installations continue to adapt to evolving mission requirements, collaboration among regional leaders remains essential to maintaining effective support for the operating forces and the communities surrounding each installation. The two-day conference reinforced the importance of communication, shared knowledge and leadership across MCIWEST, while highlighting the unique capabilities and people that contribute to MCLB Barstow's mission.