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Kids come to work at JB MDL

  • Published
  • By Christian Deluca
  • JBMDL public affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  JB MDL held its annual Bring Your Child to Work day, April 28, and children of all ages came to get a glimpse of the variety of activities that go on here.

The day began with a pancake breakfast at the McGuire Chapel, hosted by the base's 5/6 Club, followed by static displays of military, first response and construction vehicles.
Afterwards, the 87th Security Forces Squadron put on a K9 demonstration, where Ilay, a five year old, black German Shephard military working dog displayed his apprehension skills for the crowds.

Tech. Sgt. Justin Williams, 87th SFS Military Working Dog trainer and emcee for the demonstration, said these community events are fun for everyone, but are also valuable opportunities to teach the public about the roles and duties the working dogs perform.

"The demonstration went very well. All the kids had a ton of questions which makes our job even more enjoyable. The kennel section is always happy to provide kids with an event that they would rarely, if ever, be able to witness," he said. "I hope they were able to learn that Military Working Dogs are not like your average house dogs. They are police officers just like a human would be, and they are here to perform duties that help ensure the people on the base fell safe and secure."

The 87th Medical Group provided tours of their facilities and the Combined Maintenance Operations Facility took visitors through a night vision goggle course to showcase the abilities of some of their equipment.

Eleven-year-old Logan Knox said he had a great time visiting all the displays and demonstrations during the day.

"I thought the military dog was really cool and being able to see all of the planes and vehicles up close was great," he said "We had a terrific time."

The day also included static displays of aircraft, military vehicles and tours of the Station 1 Fire House with Sparky the fire dog.
The day ended with a mock physical fitness test, where participants did push-ups, sit-ups and ran a relay race, and closing ceremonies with the Joint Base Honor Guard performing.

Tech Sgt. Brandon Sauls, First Term Airmen Center non-commissioned officer in charge, oversaw the fitness test and said everyone had a wonderful time.

"It was a fun atmosphere and the kids were able to learn a little about teamwork," said Sauls. "They had a really good time. It was great."