JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Members from the Joint Base attended the 10th Annual Technology Exposition at Tommy B’s Community Activities Center here, March 15.
The event allows service members and community members to view and get their hands on the latest technology from almost 30 different vendors ranging from virtual reality goggles to high-speed satellite internet.
Vendors filled the room wall-to-wall with new technology. Self-stabilizing binoculars for helicopter pilots, tactical flashlights and 3-D printers capable of creating replacement parts for outdated aircraft garnered attention from attendees.
“[The tech expo] is an opportunity to enhance our warfighting capability and make us more efficient and productive in the process,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Neil Richardson, Joint Base MDL and 87th Air Base Wing commander. “The expo provides us with a chance to see what the newest and greatest is in order to make us more effective and ultimately more lethal.”
The event, which has seen steady growth over the past 10 years, saw participation from over 300 contractors, civilian employees and service members throughout the day.
“The tech expo showcases some of the latest and greatest technology,” said Matt Flemister, Federal Direct Access Expositions account executive and tech expo host. “There are benefits to both the higher-ups and buyers as well as people who will use this technology every day. This is a place for all who attend to see the future of technology in their lines of work.”
The Joint Base MDL community is an extremely diverse group with a variety of technological needs compared to single-service installations, Flemister said. As the only tri-service base in the Defense Department, all five branches are represented here and the various missions see the need for different technologies. Naval Support Activity-Lakehurst’s mission of innovation falls in-line heavily with the tech expo’s theme.
“Every service member coming through the show can find a piece of technology which will make their life easier,” said Flemister. “For the military in particular, these type of events are essential. If the military is to remain cutting edge, it must stay at the forefront of technology.”