Drivers advised to be prepared when entering Eglin gates

  • Published
  • By 96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  When the 96th Security Forces Squadron received an unusually high number of complaints at the gates regarding long lines and delays mid-September, they analyzed the problem to find solutions for stuck drivers.

Higher headquarters mandates 100 percent hands-on for all identification cards presented at the gates to verify the card's validity. It's just one of several anti-terrorism measures in place for everyone's security. 

"The guard can tell if it's real or not by just touching the card," said Chief Gerald Brown, Operations Officer. "It is our responsibility to ensure the safety of the base; we're not trying to make entry difficult for the drivers."

This policy has, at times, caused lines to form when drivers come to the gate unprepared. The chief said that it takes approximately 15 seconds for someone to reach into a back pocket or a purse for a wallet containing a common access card or military ID.

"You multiply that 15 seconds times thousands of cars during rush hour traffic, and you have a backup at the gates," Chief Brown said. "Coming to the gate prepared, with the window down and ID cards in hand, is just what needs to happen."

Chief Brown recommends all drivers, before leaving home, place their ID card in a convenient location like the car's cupholder or a shirt front pocket.

Perhaps the most time consuming are the drivers who come to the gate without an identification card. The Pass and ID Section said they have seen an increase of people coming in with "I forgot my card in the CAC reader" syndrome. In a typical scenario the driver pulls up to the gate reaches for the ID card, mentions it is not there, looks around vehicle compartments and comes up with a conclusion that it can't be found.

"If someone doesn't have their CAC card with them, they can stop in the Visitors Center and we can look them up within a few minutes," said Jeenen Hartz who works at the West Gate Visitor Center.

Anyone who needs to be sponsored must go through one of the visitor centers. Contractors must be sponsored on for work purposes and not as retired military, for example.

For motorcyclists, it is not always that easy. Gate guards estimate it takes 35-45 seconds to stop the bike's engine and sift through the Velcro case attached to their traffic vest. The guards have seen an increase in the number of motorcycles entering the gates; that number rises in direct proportion to the price of gas.

Robert Bendus sees both sides of the issue as a DOD police shift commander and an avid motorcyclist. He's found a few solutions to the problem of passing through the gates.

"One of the things I do personally is to wear an open-face helmet so the guard can match my face to my card," he said. "I also slide my ID between my glove and the top of my hand so I can reach it quickly."

Mr. Bendus also suggests wearing an ID in a clear plastic holder with an elastic armband. While he admits someone would have to take it out to show the guard "it saves time instead of fumbling for a wallet."