McGuire, Fort Dix honor ‘friend’ with naming of street Published June 22, 2007 By Carolee Nisbet Fort Dix Public Affairs FORT DIX, N.J. -- With a little muffled laughter and a lot of good will, Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base honored a long-time friend of the military June 22 by naming a street in his honor. With the unveiling of a standard brown sign, Cambridge Street became Nick Grand Street. "I went through basic training at Fort Dix in Company A, 36th Training Battalion," Mr. Grand told the group of friends and family who gathered to witness the 9 a.m. event. "And here I'm getting my name on a street." Mr. Grand said he is willing to accept the responsibility of having a street named for him, and has even planned for the future: "Once this ceremony is over, I will be interviewing for street cops and streetsweepers ...," he announced. Mr. Grand, whose multi-faceted career includes a stint as public affairs officer at Lakehurst Naval Air Station, ownership of a radio station and a heavy commitment as an almost-daily volunteer for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve program at Fort Dix, has been a link between the community and the military for more than 60 years. He now serves mobilizing and demobilizing Soldiers at Fort Dix by ensuring they are aware of their responsibilities and entitlements in relation to their civilian jobs. "I've only known Nick for three years, but it's been an interesting time," said Col. Dave McNeil, Fort Dix installation commander. "There is no one more dedicated, no one who cares more about our military. There are no words or deeds that could come close to repaying the debt we owe this man." Col. Rick Martin, 305th Air Mobility Wing commander, welcomed Mr. Grand's family and noted that as Nick prides himself on his poetry, he wrote a verse in his honor: "We gather here as friends of Nick, to honor a man who is quite a pick! We all know the mind of Nick, he's a man with a wit who is very quick! We dedicate this road as Nick Grand Street. To achieve this great honor is certainly no small feat. So let's all honor the man we know as Mr. Grand, he's a legend in the land, let's all give him a hand!" Brig. Gen. Kip Self, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center commander, noted that Mr. Grand has extensive ties to his family's home in Greece and carries the family title of Patriarch, which also applies to his life and ties to the military. "He has a heart the size of Texas, and he is a mentor to many and a friend to all," General Self said. The street, off Texas Avenue and alongside the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, was constructed in 1965, when the center was built to serve as the inprocessing site for basic trainees. Streets in the area were named for U.S. cities.