Safety, security forefront for 2012 Open House Published April 25, 2012 By 050412 JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Attendees can expect to leave the 2012 Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Open House & Air Show with feelings of fascination, inspiration and admiration as they enjoy the safe and secure environment. Hundreds of security forces personnel and augmentees will patrol parking areas and entry control points as well as assist with crowd control at the event. "Our main concern is to provide a safe environment for the populace that will be attending the open house," said Master Sgt. Anthony Jones, 87th Security Forces Squadron police services superintendent. Base officials are estimating about 300,000 attendees during the two-day event. "From a security forces standpoint, we started preparing for the open house in November 2011, where we began biweekly planning meetings to ensure things run smoothly," said Jones. "We have planned to have a smooth transition into the joint base from as far as five miles out; provide parking areas, with busing, to eliminate inconvenience of distant walking, and a safe and secure area where guests can enjoy all the activities that the open house offers." This year's open house and air show is the first since 2008. JB MDL is hosting the event to thank the local community for their continued support and celebrate more than 95 years of defending our nation's air, land and sea. Every branch of service on base will be present to engage with the community and explain the way they fit into the "joint base puzzle." Community members will get a first-hand glimpse at the joint base's warfighting capabilities and total-force integration. Security forces, commonly referred to as "defenders," is one unit that will showcase its total-force integration by employing security forces personnel from various uints around the joint base to include the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, 621st Contingency Response Wing and 108th and 514th Security Forces squadrons. Community members from the tri-state area are invited to view the world-renowned Air Force Thunderbirds flying team, the U.S. Army's premier parachute team, the Golden Knights, and the Marine Air-Ground Task Force assault demonstration, which includes F/A-18 Hornets, CH-53 Super Stallions, and AH-1W Cobras with Pyro who will rock the flight line with large explosives as part of a simulated assault. While on the air field, security forces patrols will be responsible for protecting the more than 25 historic and current static aircraft will be displayed during this year's event--Bell UH-1 Iroquois, C-5 Galaxy, FedEx Airbus A300 and T-1A Jayhawk. "We have well-trained defenders who specialize in keeping the community safe on a daily basis," said Jones. "I am very confident that we have prepared ourselves to deal with any incidents that may arise." Visit www.jbmdlopenhouse.com or contact the Joint Base Public Affairs Office at 754-2104 for more information.