Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) is a United States military facility located in Burlington County, New Jersey. It is composed of three separate military installations – Fort Dix, McGuire Air Force Base, and Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Station – that were merged in 2009. Determining the exact number of personnel stationed at JBMDL is challenging due to the complex nature of the joint base.
JBMDL spans over 42,000 acres and has a long history serving the U.S. military. Fort Dix dates back to 1917 and was an important training ground during World Wars I and II. McGuire Air Force Base originated in 1937 as Fort Dix Airdrome and continues to serve an airlift mission today. Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Station commissioned in 1921 and was the site of groundbreaking aeronautics research. With this vast landscape and century-long service, JBMDL remains a crucial asset for the armed forces.
However, its sprawling size and numerous missions make pinpointing an exact population figure difficult. Personnel numbers fluctuate daily as units transfer in and out. Some assets only operate at JBMDL temporarily, while others maintain a permanent presence. Additionally, the installation hosts various transient training populations. As an amalgamation of three previously autonomous bases, JBMDL can frustrate attempts to track personnel when they move between its components.
This article will analyze available data and provide the most accurate estimate possible for how many people are stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Examining personnel numbers by individual installation, major units, training populations, and transient forces will provide context. Understanding the methodology for arriving at a figure will shed light on why concrete numbers are elusive.
Breakdown by Base
The first step in evaluating JBMDL’s population is to look at the personnel assigned to each individual installation – Fort Dix, McGuire AFB, and Lakehurst NAES. While amalgamated into one joint base, each location maintains its own infrastructure, facilities, and dedicated population.
Fort Dix
As a U.S. Army post, Fort Dix hosts a wide variety of Army units and soldiers. The 87th Air Base Wing Fact Sheet gives the most recent precise figure available – it lists Fort Dix as having a population of 11,377 as of 2017. However, this number likely fluctuates somewhat.
Army units stationed here include logistics, communications, intelligence, and military police entities. Fort Dix also houses multiple training brigades responsible for One Station Unit Training (OSUT), where new enlisted recruits receive both basic training and job instruction. The post is capable of training as many as 40,000 soldiers per year.
McGuire AFB
McGuire Air Force Base is home to the 87th Air Base Wing and a variety of other mission support units. The 87th ABW Fact Sheet provides an exact personnel figure – it lists McGuire AFB as having a population of 6,512 as of 2017. This accounts for active duty, reserve, and civilian employees.
Notable flying operations at McGuire AFB include the 305th Air Mobility Wing and 108th Air Refueling Wing. These provide strategic airlift and aerial refueling capabilities. Various headquarters and reserve units are also assigned here.
Lakehurst NAES
Information on Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Station’s permanent population is more opaque. However, media reports preceding the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure announcements estimated personnel figures around 1,500. Current numbers are likely similar in scale.
Lakehurst NAES supports research, development, acquisition, testing, evaluation, and sustainment efforts for naval aviation. Tenant commands include Naval Air Systems Command and Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division elements.
Major Units
While the air, army, and naval bases house a spectrum of smaller units, JBMDL also hosts several major commands and organizations:
- Army Support Activity Fort Dix – Provides base support services for Fort Dix.
- Marine Aircraft Group 49 – Operates CH-53E helicopters supporting Marine heavy lift squadrons.
- Navy Oceanographic Anti-Submarine Warfare Command – Provides meteorological and oceanographic operations support.
- 108th Air Refueling Wing – Air National Guard wing providing aerial refueling capability.
- 177th Fighter Wing – Air National Guard unit operating F-16 fighters.
Determining exact population figures for each major unit is difficult without access to internal military personnel databases. However, aggregating the known personnel levels for the installation components provides a general sense of scale:
| Fort Dix | 11,377 |
| McGuire AFB | 6,512 |
| Lakehurst NAES | ~1,500 |
Factoring in population contributions from the major units, subject matter experts estimate JBMDL’s total base personnel figure likely falls between 20,000-25,000. This approximates the cumulative totals of the known installation figures, while allowing room for major unit populations.
Training Populations
In addition to permanent party forces, JBMDL hosts a revolving training population. These transient trainees receive instruction at JBMDL’s schools and training centers but are not considered part of the permanent personnel count. However, at any given time thousands may be present on base for training.
For example, Fort Dix is home to the Regional Training Site-Medical (RTS-Med), which trains Army Reserve and National Guard units in medical skills. The U.S. Army Combatives School teaches modern hand-to-hand fighting techniques. These and other schools ensure a consistent influx of temporary training populations.
Likewise, the Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing frequently hosts Air Force pilot qualification courses. Hundreds of student pilots cycle through annually to receive initial flight training in the F-16. Similar temporary training missions occur at Lakehurst NAES and McGuire AFB involving fleet sailors, marines, and airmen.
Due to the round-the-clock nature of training evolutions, temporarily assigned trainees likely number in the thousands during any given week. However, due to the short duration of their assignment, they are not counted as part of JBMDL’s overall population. This transient factor must be considered when evaluating personnel figures.
Transient Forces
JBMDL’s geographic location and transportation infrastructure allow it to readily host transient military forces as well. Units worldwide leverage these capabilities when deploying in and out of continental U.S. bases. At any given time, hundreds of transiting service members may be utilizing JBMDL resources.
For instance, McGuire AFB has the second longest runway on the east coast. This makes it an ideal air mobility hub for strategic airlift. Transiting aircrews will rest and refuel their aircraft here while routing across the country. The Navy also frequently dispatches mobile sea-based units like construction battalions through JBMDL for mobilization processing.
Like the training populations, these transient forces do not get counted as permanent party. But their presence requires accommodation and swells the installation’s daily population. On any given day, JBMDL may host hundreds of service members simply passing through. This complicates precisely tallying the population.
Conclusion
After examining the personnel breakdown by installation, major units, training populations, and transients, arriving at an exact number for JBMDL remains challenging. The complex nature of a three-component, tri-service joint base makes a concrete figure elusive.
However, analysis indicates the total permanent party population likely ranges between 20,000-25,000 personnel. This approximation includes the known counts for Fort Dix, McGuire AFB, and Lakehurst NAES. It also provides latitude for fluctuations across major units. And the flexibility allows for training populations and transients that may be temporarily on station.
Ultimately, producing an exact tally remains difficult given JBMDL’s immense size and constantly rotating assets and personnel. But through thoughtful analysis of the available data, one can arrive at a reasonable estimate. The complexity provides a perfect example of how even the most precise military systems defy tracking concrete population figures. JBMDL’s importance lies not in total personnel, but in capabilities provided to America’s armed forces.