NEW YORK, NY August 25, 2005 —New Jersey will consolidate three military posts into the country's only joint Army/Air Force/Navy facility. WNYC's Fred Mogul has more.

The news comes from the same independent panel that announced the closure yesterday of Fort Monmouth, the state's largest installation. Today's decision by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission confirms an earlier Pentagon recommendation.

It would combine the efforts of Fort Dix, McGuire Air Force Base and Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst. It'll will be known as a joint "mega base." The designation means the three bases, located near each other in central New Jersey, will work together on various military projects. The facilities will have a central commander, based at McGuire, which is the largest of the three posts.

It is not immediately clear whether the merger will affect the overall economic impact they have on the state. Together, they employ about 16,000. For WNYC, I'm Fred Mogul.