That Rumble You Hear In Wall? It's Probably Artillery Training

If you hear rumbling or booms over the next eight days in Wall, chances are it will have a simple explanation. And it won’t be your stomach.

Officials at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst announced Thursday that the base will be hosting training in field artillery, mortars and demolition from Friday, May 1 through Friday, May 8.

Training will take place anywhere between 7 a.m. and midnight May 1, 2 and 3 (this weekend) as the New York Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery Regiment and 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment are scheduled to conduct mortar and field artillery training.

From Monday, May 4 through Friday, May 8, the 87th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal is scheduled to detonate explosives during their field training exercise, anytime between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on those dates.

Base officials warn: “During this time, the joint base community and residents of the surrounding areas may experience ground shaking and considerable noise coming from the ranges. The noise may travel farther during overcast weather conditions.”

That has been the case during previous training sessions, including last weekend where the sound carried as far as Howell Township and in March, when sounds of the training could be heard in Point Pleasant and Eagleswood in southern Ocean County.

The National Weather Service is predicting cloudy weather Friday and Saturday, then clear skies are expected Sunday through Tuesday during the day. Clouds may return Tuesday night and hang around through the end of the week.

That means there’s a chance you’ll hear the booms.

Base officials said the training ”is essential and helps ensure the readiness of America’s fighting force. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst works hard to minimize the impact training has on its surrounding communities and is committed to remaining good neighbors.”

(Photo: Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Facebook page)