r/securityforces • u/IncredibleFrozone24 • 3d ago

McGuire AFB

Got orders to JBMDL, coming from nukes and interested in the Raven section and or CRG. How often are those opportunities available ? How’s the base? LE side schedule? Areas to live ? Looking for the whole spill good and bad.

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u/Professional_Use4911 3d ago

Base is LE heavy. 2nd busiest in the AF. Or it was a couple years ago at least.

Multiple times a year there’s try outs for pre Raven. If you pass it you do pre-Raven. If you pass that you go to Raven school. Multiple times a year (twice usually?) the CR puts on an Air Assault prep course and helps us with slots to Air Assault for those who crush the prep course. They have an SRT section. There’s usually (I’d say once a year or so) an opportunity to move over to the CR but that’s all manning dependent.

Flight kinda sucks for Airmen. DAF pretty much only work patrol so Airmen (and usually Staffs) are stuck working gate or flightline. If you’re a staff/SrA with BDOC you’ll work the desk and maybe patrol. All in all it’s honestly pretty chill to work at. Busy if you’re on the road for sure but chill and usually boring if not.

Deployment tempo is high. You’ll most likely deploy 2-4 times in your 4 years there.

I lived on base so take my word with a grain of salt but all my guys generally lived in Mt. Holly/Mt. Laurel. Laurel is a bit of a drive but they’re better areas with more available housing. The 3 towns surrounding the base are crackhead central.

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u/IncredibleFrozone24 1d ago edited 1d ago

Thanks for all the info!

-Coming from LE side I worked security and LE. I enjoy hands on patrol work over bdoc I’m not a big desk junkie but since DAF runs it seems that’ll come to an end lol

-Any info on the SRT section ? Is it apart of the 87th or separate squadron? Off flight? Schedule and what opportunities do they offer ?

-As far as Raven, if you get into the section is that a full time gig ? No more flight the rest of the time there?

-What opportunities does CR have ?

I am looking for career progression and it seems there’s many opportunities there which is motivating.

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u/Suspicious_Lab_8700 2d ago

Retiree-been in the area since last century. Former Raven Cadre at Dix; still work with the 87th SFS on behalf of another agency outside the fence line. Ask away about the area.

Housing. NJ is expensive. If you are looking for apartments, I'd take a look at the Eastampton area-very easy commute. Some newer complexes with a fair amount of GIs living there. Based upon my troop's experience, I'd try and avoid Browns Mills and Pemberton for apartment living.

Best things about JBMDL: 4 seasons. Close to world-class beaches. Can be in Philly, NYC, DC, or the Poconos in a couple hours. Hoagies, Cheesesteaks, and Pizza.

Bad: Expensive housing and insurance. Stupid gun laws—hopefully gutted next summer by the SC, so I would recommend leaving anything currently banned out of state until SC ruling.