JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. –
Leaders from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst recently took a hands-on approach to strengthening its partnership that protects wildlife and conservation efforts by attending training classes at the National Conversation and Training Center in West Virginia, March 22-25.
Accompanied by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service senior officials and the game warden assigned to Joint Base MDL, Officer Terrance Butler, joint base leaders were immersed in training programs that these highly specific law enforcement officials operate in and provide direct benefit to JB MDL.
“The partnerships we have established with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service now go far beyond the confines of our installation” said U.S. Navy Capt. Frank Ingargiola, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Deputy Commander- Navy. “Seeing first-hand the tools and training our teammates have gone through helps us better understand the importance of this critical role in relation to the mission at JB MDL.”
Members of the 787th Civil Engineer Group, 87th Security Forces Squadron and the 514th Air Mobility Wing were also in attendance and were given in depth tours of the facilities that included historical artifacts, training iterations, and the grounds of the conservation center. During the trip Lt. Col. Megan Hall, 87th Security Forces Squadron commander partnered with Butler and installation entomology representatives to discuss deer remediation and safe hunting practices.
“Spending time learning about the partnership we have forged with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has reinforced our appreciation for the tools and training our Game Warden has gone through to help make JB MDL a safer place to work and live,” said Hall.
The USFWS is continuing to look for ways to utilize JB MDL for training and networking. Engagements like this visit help the organizations learn from one another and strengthen the partnership with Joint Base MDL.
“As JB MDL’s first Wildlife Service program goes into its fourth year, the benefits of the partnership continue to grow,” said Richard A. Johnston, Chief of Law Enforcement for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Refuge System. “As we headed into this program we hoped for the best, and the best has far exceeded what we hoped for. We enjoy our relationship with the Joint Base and have found that our two groups have come together and continue to be better through this partnership.”