JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The 305th Air Mobility Wing unveiled Courtney’s Cove in the passenger terminal at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, April 2, 2026, to honor Courtney Crawford, spouse of retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Brendan Crawford, a former member of the 6th Airlift Squadron.
According to Shannon Eggert , Courtney’s Cove lead coordinator, Courtney lived a life of servitude and was well respected in her community and her dying wish was that her legacy would be remembered . Courtney was inspired to bring a spouse-centric space to the base after seeing similar resources popping up at other bases.
The opening of Courtney’s Cove marked the day her wish came true.
“She was a huge advocate for supporting all the military spouses and building camaraderie and growth,” Eggert said. “She wanted people to feel valued, heard and supported. That’s why we’re interweaving that into the mission and the vision, to honor her legacy.”
Eggert explained that Courtney’s Cove is the answer to an ongoing issue that can affect married military members and may lead to separation from service. The goal of Courtney’s Cove is to increase retention by supporting the spouse and enhancing the quality of life for the entire family.
The facility is filled with desks, computers and lounge areas offering a supportive workspace to military spouses to collaborate, connect, and to promote personal and professional growth, as well as Wi-Fi to enable remote work opportunities. At the grand opening, stories of Courtney’s life were shared and the room was filled with emotion.
“The colors for Courtney’s Cove are from Cillian’s (Courtney and Brendan’s son) nursery from our previous home in Florida,” Brendan said. “It was Courtney’s favorite coastal colors.”
Eggert said 46% of active-duty members have spouses who do not support their military career. Meanwhile, 45% of military spouses consider themselves underemployed and 21% are unemployed due to permanent change of stations. This is why it is imperative to support the entire military unit, which includes military families and spouses.
“I think this is a good initiative that is needed at this base,” Eggert said. “There was no place here that we identified for spouses to be uniquely supported.”
Spouses at JB MDL can now freely access this new resource and take advantage of the opportunity to grow together. Courtney’s Cove is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call (609)-754-3414 or email at courtneys.cove.team@gmail.com.