For those of us who live within earshot of Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, some days are noisier than others. Some of those noisy days (and nights) are coming in the next few weeks.
The Base publishes “noise calendars” to notify nearby residents (and you don’t have to be nearby to hear the noise) when activity is going to be lighter or more intense. There are three levels of noise:
Low noise – ground training on small arms and light weapons; may include small arms fire and rifles
Moderate noise — rotary wing aerial gunnery; may include .50 caliber weapons, rocket fire, rotary cannons
High noise — heavy crew weapon training and cratering ammunition; may include live mortar fire, howitzer fire, and crater charges
Wrightstown entrance to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
For the rest of May it’s mostly ‘high’ and ‘moderate’ so be prepared. From 12 to 15 everything is noisy. Then again on the 17th and then from the 19th to the 23rd, it will be noisy.
The other days in May will be “moderate noise” except for May 28, 29 and 31, which will be “low”.
As someone who’s lived fairly close to base (on the Ocean County side), hearing the sounds of soldiers training is oddly comforting. It just makes me feel safer. I know many other people also enjoy hearing the gunshots and explosions, calling it the “sound of freedom”.
Common base via Facebook
The views expressed in the above post are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle only.
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Just under 30 cents of every $1 of property taxes collected in New Jersey supports municipal services provided by cities, townships, boroughs, and villages. Statewide, the average municipal tax bill alone in 2021 was $2,725, but that varied widely from over $13,000 in Tavistock to nothing in three townships. In addition to the $9.22 billion in taxes for municipal purposes, special tax districts that in some locations provide municipal services such as fire protection, garbage collection or economic development collected 323, $8 million in 2021.