Twentynine Palms Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field Twentynine Palms Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field or Twentynine Palms SELF is a military use airfield located nine nautical miles ( 17 km ) northwest of the central business district of Twentynine Palms , a city in San Bernardino County , California , United States . The SELF is the largest expeditionary airfield ( EAF ) operated by the United States Marine Corps . It is also known as the Twentynine Palms EAF and is located at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center ( MCAGCC ) Twentynine Palms . History . History of the EAF . The history of the Expeditionary Airfield ( EAF ) and its supporting units is closely interwoven . In March 1977 , General Louis H . Wilson , the 26th Commandant of the Marine Corps , activated the EAF . The initial unit placed in charge of the EAF was designated Detachment MABS - 11 . Two years later , in July 1979 , Detachment MABS - 11 became operationally attached to Marine Wing Support Group 37 ( MWSG - 37 ) and was redesignated MWSG - 37 , Detachment Bravo in 1982 . Originally , only a cadre of Marines provided caretaker support for the EAF between exercises . However , during October 1988 MWSS - 173 was transferred from MCAS Kaneohe Bay to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center , Twentynine Palms in support of the EAF . On 4 March 1993 , MWSS - 173 was deactivated and Aviation Ground Support Element ( AGSE ) was activated to continue operating and maintaining the EAF . On 1 April 1999 , AGSE deactivated and was redesignated as Marine Wing Support Squadron - 374 ( MWSS - 374 ) . Currently the squadron is over 700 strong , and possesses the ability to operate a tactical airfield including air traffic control services and maintaining ground and weapons support equipment for aircraft . EAF 29 Palms . The 29 Palms EAF is under operational control of the Commanding General , Third Marine Aircraft Wing . Day - to - day operations are the responsibility of the Marines of MWSS - 374 . The EAF was built in 1976 to test the Naval services aluminum expeditionary runway concept . The austere EAF is an example of what Naval aviation would use in a tactical situation where no prior airfield exists . It is a cornerstone of the Marine Corps ' Combined Arms Exercise ( CAX ) Program . Today ' s EAF has changed very little since the original construction . Over three million square feet of aluminum AM - 2 matting make up the primary runway , taxiway s , and parking areas . The EAF operates as a " host nation " airfield to which deployed units bring their own organic support . Support functions provided at the EAF include the following : Airfield Operations , Air Traffic Control , Airfield Construction , Maintenance and Repair , Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting , Common Aviation Support Equipment , Explosive Ordnance Disposal , Weather Services , Communications , Aircraft Refueling , Fuel Storage , Engineer Support , and Motor Transport . Facilities . Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field ( SELF ) is a military airfield with an aluminum matted surface that is designed for sustained operations in an amphibious objective area . The runway , taxiways , and aircraft parking areas are constructed entirely of AM - 2 aluminum matting . The AM - 2 surface matting is a fabricated aluminum panel 1 . 5 " thick , which consists of a hollow , extruded , one - piece main section with extruded end connectors welded to each end . The top surface of the AM - 2 matting is coated with a non - skid material . The runway is and can accommodate the largest aircraft in the military inventory : the C - 5 Galaxy and C - 17 Globemaster . In a normal year , Marine Wing Support Squadron 374 operates the SELF 300 days , conducts 3 , 600 hours of flight operations , supports 16 , 647 aircraft , and pumps over five million gallons of jet fuel .