News

Service Members find hope in Sean's Room
October 11, 2023 — Service members from across Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst gathered to celebrate the official opening of Sean’s Room at the 305th Air Mobility Wing's Passenger Terminal on October 10, 2023. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was officiated by Gen. Mike Minihan, Air Mobility Command commander, along with other speakers who played key roles in making Sean’s Room at the Can Do Wing a reality. ... MORE

U.S. Air Force Gen. Mike Minihan, Air Mobility Command commander, greets Sean's Room Peers after the ribbon cutting ceremony for Sean’s Room at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. on 10 October, 2023. Modeled after Sean’s House, a program based in Newark, Delaware, Sean’s Room offers a safe peer-to-peer environment for JB MDL personnel to receive mental health support and maintain confidentiality as required by law. Sean’s House was originally founded by Christopher Locke after he tragically lost his son, Sean, to suicide in 2018.

Joint Base MDL Spreads Suicide Prevention and Awareness
September 13, 2023 — JB MDL hosted a Suicide Prevention Day with a 5K run, sports and activities to help promote suicide awareness and prevention, and connect service members with available resources... MORE

Single Service Members 'dive' into the BOSS Program
August 14, 2023 — Enlisted personnel from across Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst took part in the inaugural Better Opportunities for Single Service Members event on July 29, 2023, at Army Support Activity Fort Dix. The event encompassed the initial stages of acquiring scuba diving certification under the guidance of trained professionals, as part of a Joint Base initiative aimed at enhancing resilience and camaraderie among its young and promising members... MORE

Service members assigned to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst participate in a scuba diving certification training during a Better Opportunities for Single Service Members event on 28, July 2023, at Army Support Activity Fort Dix. The BOSS program provides activities to single service members in the dorms, single parents, and geographical bachelors. These events include life skills, outdoor recreation, leisure activities, and community service opportunities.

From Egypt to New Egypt, One Airman's Pursuit of Happiness and the American Dream
April 21, 2023 — JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. – The United States was built on a foundation of worldwide immigration. From that foundation comes a rich history of people, of all backgrounds, who came together under the common values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For Airman 1st Class Marian Tawfik, 305th Aerial Port Squadron air transportation specialist, coming to America was a dream fulfilled. The journey was, at times, a perilous one, but has formed an immense sense of gratitude towards the rights and privileges many take for granted... MORE

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Marian Tawfik, 305th Aerial Port Squadron air transportation specialist, in-processes travelers at the 305th APS Passenger Terminal on 19 April, 2023, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. Tawfik, an immigrant from Minya, Egypt, won a work Visa through the U.S. Embassy lottery and eventually attained her citizenship in the United States.

Through the Fire and Flame: Airman awarded Airman’s Medal for heroic actions
January 10, 2023 — In the heat of the summer of July 2021, a black delivery van crashed into an 18-wheeler on Interstate 295 and erupted in flames. The van then swerved into a guard rail and the driver slumped unconscious into the passenger seat. The airbags deployed and the fire grew, spreading to the nearby shrubbery. Just a few car lengths behind the chaos was Master Sgt. Christopher Isler, who joined the Air Force in June of 2006. One of the Air Force’s core values is Service Before Self, and while he didn’t know it at the time, Ishler became the walking epitome of it on that July day. ... MORE

605th AMXS Crew Chief Embodies the Warrior Heart
October 14, 2022 — Mobility Airmen that answer the call to serve at the Department of Defense’s only tri-service base learn to make an ally of resiliency. For Senior Airman Austin Sondergard, a crew chief with the 605th aircraft maintenance squadron, recovering from a life-threatening condition meant waging a war of attrition against his own mind and body. His journey on the road to recovery, while fraught with daily challenges, is paved with the support of friends, family, and a warrior heart’s passion. ... MORE

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Austin Sondergard, 605th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, performs pre-flight checks on a KC-10 extender at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. on Oct. 10, 2022. Sondergard received brain surgery to remove an arteriovenous malformation, and later suffered losses to both memory, speech, and motor skills due to a stroke. Recovered, Sondergard returned to his duties as a Crew Chief and hobby as an avid powerlifter.