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30 | LIFE IN SOLERA | NOVEMBER 2025 | Happy Veterans Day to our Solera Veterans. The Solera RV Group is proud to have several veterans on its roster representing the Marines, Navy, Army, and Air Force. A Veterans Administration study conducted in 2015 found that outdoor recreation can help veterans with social reconnection, life- improving change and psychological healing. Another study conducted by an independent organization found that 14.8 percent of RV owners are veterans or active military. That is quite a statistic given that less than one percent of the United States population presently serves in the U.S. Armed Forces. The Department of Defense operates campgrounds and RV sites (FamCamps) throughout the country on military installations and off-post/base recreation areas. Active-duty personnel, military retirees, and disabled veterans are allowed access to these recreational areas for a nominal fee. Some of the more popular FamCamp campgrounds are located in Southern California. San Onofre, Del Mar Beach and Lake O'Neill campgrounds are operated by the Camp Pendelton (pictured above left) United States Marine Corp Base. These campgrounds rival some of the best of the private and commercial campgrounds in the United States. Commercial campgrounds such as Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, Encore, Thousand Trails, Sun Outdoors and Kampgrounds of America (KOA) offer active duty personnel, veterans, military retirees and disabled veterans discounts when using these facilities. National Parks offer discounts and, in some cases, free access to active-duty personnel, retirees, Gold Star families, and disabled veterans. State parks vary state-by-state in their offering of discounts to the Veteran camper. Locally, San Bernardino County Parks offers $5 off per day at its camping parks including Yucaipa Regional Park. This is a favorite campground of the Solera RV Group. Membership in Special Military Active Recreational Travelers (S*M*A*R*T) club brings military veterans and their families together to share camaraderie, travel, camping and support to our veterans. All active, retired, and honorably discharged veterans from the United States and Canadian Armed Forces interested in recreational travel are welcomed to join this club. Military Veterans RV Community is a Facebook site dedicated to helping the military veteran with tips about military installation campgrounds (FamCamps), RV maintenance, and more. To our Solera veterans, thank you for your service to our country. ~ Ron Monroe, RV Group Leader and United States Air Force Veteran, ronoap@aol.com, (909) 732-6139 RV GROUP Fort Wainwright, Fairbanks, Alaska FamCamp campground Camp Pendleton campground