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Power in the Pines wows 375K

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Rachel Salpietra
  • Joint Base MDL Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst opened its doors to approximately 375,000 people from throughout the tri-state area May 14 and 15 for the 2016 Power in the Pines Open House and Air Show to enjoy the multitude of static displays, performances and activities showcasing the Defense Department mission.

Highlights for the show included performances by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, U.S. Army Golden Knights, Breitling Jet Team, GEICO Skytypers, with a total of 11 aerial acts. JB MDL is the nation's only tri-service joint base and is home to units from all five services. Each service was represented in this year's open house with 62 static displays across the ramp.

"As always an awesome day! This is our third time coming and couldn't have had a better day! Thank you to all who work months to put this show together!" said Nicole Beaulieu on Facebook.

Members of JB MDL have been planning the show for months. Executive staff members for the OHAS had to find a solution for everything - traffic and parking plans; coordinating aircraft arrivals and departures; all the way down to ensuring there were enough restrooms for the hundreds of thousands of community members expected to attend. Among the most significant challenges was ensuring the safety of the joint base community and those in attendance. All told, the effort required a more than 1,000-person workforce to execute, over 400 of which were security personnel and augmentees.

"This was, without a doubt, a team effort," said Lt. Col. Pat Rayner, 2016 Power in the Pines Open House and Air Show director. "This required an all-in push from everyone on the joint base and we received remarkable support across the board. We couldn't have accomplished such a feat without help from our joint and total force partners."

The Defense Department hosts open house and airshows to enhance public awareness of the nation's military preparedness, mission, equipment, facilities, and personnel to promote positive community and international relations.

"The people we serve, the American taxpayers, don't often get a look inside our gates at the mission we do every day," said Rayner. "This is an opportunity for us to showcase the DOD's outstanding capabilities - how we keep them safe."

While the mission of an open house may be a serious one, it also offers opportunities for community members to have a great time. The 87th Force Support Squadron ensured good food and fun for all attendees. With nearly 75 concessionaire booths, the open house offered typical fair-style food, aircraft-themed toys and much more. There was also a children's play area with bounce houses, a Marine Corps obstacle course, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter simulator and much more.

"This was my first time. Brought my Dad, and we both had the experience of a lifetime. So much to see, everyone was great and the Thunderbirds were absolutely amazing. I felt like a kid again. The event was also very organized. Traffic, parking, getting around was no problem. A big heartfelt thank you to all the men and women in our military for inviting us to your house this weekend. You all rock!" said Ray Sztabnik on Facebook.