JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. — The legacy of past military activities of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey was highlighted when unexploded ordnance contractors executing a conventional unexploded ordnance project at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey discovered a MK II 75mm projectile earlier this year.
The projectile, which had a rendered-safe fuze, was recovered after an initial assessment by the 87th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance response team.
A civilian-led subordinate unit of the U.S. Army’s 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command was called in to assist.
Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the 20th CBRNE Command serves as the Defense Department’s premier CBRNE formation. The multifunctional, deployable command includes approximately 3,600 Soldiers and 250 civilians stationed at 19 bases across 16 states.
The command sent its CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity (CARA) to NAS Lakehurst April 14, 2025 to assess the ordnance.
CARA is an elite team that can quickly deploy to support unified land operations, delivering theater validation analysis of chemical, biological and explosive agents or materials. CARA also provides worldwide emergency response to recovered chemical warfare material, technical escort services for both surety and non-surety materials, and remediation support for combatant commanders.
“One of our primary missions is to conduct and support remediation operations at locations that have been identified to be tested for conventional and chemical munitions,” said Trevor Donnatien, CARA recitation response escort team supervisor. “In order for these installations and locations to reuse their real estate, site surveys must be completed. If anomalies of unexploded munitions are identified, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contracts for remediation operations to be conducted.”
The area around JB MDL has a long and complex chemical warfare history dating back to the original Camp Kendrick, now Naval Support Activity Lakehurst. During World War I, Camp Kendrick served as the home of the U.S. Army Chemical Warfare Service where already-established proving grounds were used to test chemical artillery shells and protective equipment.
Following World War I, the U.S. Navy purchased the land to establish NAS Lakehurst. The Lakehurst jump circle area, which was once a major impact area for artillery testing, recently underwent an extensive remediation effort to remove subsurface remnants of past military activities, a process that took significant time and resources to complete.
Chemical agent persistence in the environment has made handling and disposal particularly hazardous. Explosive ordnance disposal personnel are responsible for identifying, assessing and disposing of unexploded munitions, including those containing mustard gas. For example, working with mustard gas-filled shells presented significant dangers as the chemical could cause serious burns if a munition was accidentally split open.
Given the potential harm of exposure to chemical agents commonly used during this timeframe, ensuring personnel safety measures and following proper protocol were paramount.
The analysis included x-rays, photographs and measurements for the material assessment review board. The MK II 75mm round, which appeared to contain suspect energetics and showed a possible liquid fill-line, had no visible holes or leaks. It was deemed safe to place inside a 20mm ammunition can and be transported to a secure ammunition storage facility. No chemical agent was detected during recovery, packaging, or storage using joint chemical agent detector monitoring.
“It was great training for us to facilitate the removal of chemical munitions from the ground, packaging them and handing them off for further remediation,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Alexander Evans, 87th CES explosive ordnance technician. “To see that we had a permanent impact on restoring the area and that our team has now gone beyond training and into execution was the highlight of the mission for many, including myself.”
The disposal underscored the enduring legacy of past military activities at JB MDL and the ongoing need for vigilance in addressing potential hazards. The collaborative efforts of the 87th EOD, CARA, and unexploded ordnance contractors ensured the safe handling and removal of the projectile, demonstrating their commitment to protecting personnel and the environment.