Contact Information
Fort Dix – also referred to as JB MDL Dix – is located 25 km south of Trenton. It is operated by the US Air Force, under the jurisdiction of USARC (Army Reserve Control). It is one of the few bases throughout the American territory that had to merge with complementary camps in an attempt to become stronger and more complete. Therefore, it is now part of the Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst. Located in the middle of the Eastern state, the base saw the first female recruit joining the training sessions in 1978. In the ’90s, it trained Kuwaiti civilian individuals so they could join the Civil War of Kuwait. The name was given in the honor of John Adams Dix, one of the 1812 War and Civil War veterans.
History
The fort site was picked in 1917. At the same time, the construction began. The fort was initially known as Camp Dix and used to train and stage soldiers during World War I. As soon as it ended, the place was disestablished. It was turned into a reception and a training field for civilians. The camp was upgraded a few years before World War II began and renamed to Fort Dix. Throughout the second major war of the century, the new fort had the same objective as in the first one. In 1947, as the war ended, the fort became a training center for basic techniques. It also saw its first permanent unit – the 9th Infantry Division.
The Vietnam War brought in a few adjustments. The authorities built the perfect copy of a Vietnamese village inside the fort. The soldiers had to train for months before being discharged to Vietnam. The new environment was supposed to be familiar after the training sessions. Other than this war, the fort trained and sent troops to Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. It also played a decent role in two major operations of the United States – Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.
Fort Dix saw two attacks in its history, in 1970 and 2007. In 1970, a few militants were supposed to detonate a bomb during a ceremony. Unfortunately for them, the bomb exploded earlier and killed three of them. No attack took place in 2007, but according to the authorities, some Albanian men were arrested for planning an attack on the base. No evidence was found though.
Units
Fort Dix is the home of the 87th Air Base Wing, including all of its groups. The fort also hosts a few tenant units, but their role in the good going of the base is not very important. All the units work together for a good organization.
Housing
The Fort Dix community is very tight, so help is always available. As a newcomer, getting used to a new lifestyle should not be a problem. The newcomers can choose to be hosted on site or off site through a privatized system. The hotels are a more expensive alternative, but good for the temporary visits.
