Active duty Airmen guard the gates again

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Katherine Roling
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  Airmen are once again providing gate security here as of Oct. 1. Now, Department of the Air Force civilian police are sharing the role of gate security with members of the 71st Security Forces Squadron here, said Staff Sgt. Joshua Braswell, a flight chief in the 71st SFS.

The change in manning brings with it a change in procedures. The visitor's center outside the Hairston Gate is now open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m., Monday through Friday, and it will no longer be open on the weekends and holidays. Pass and Registration and Reports and Analysis have moved to the Visitor's Center as well.

Air Force active duty security forces have not stood at the gates since 2002, said Maj. Michelle Stringer, 71st SFS commander.

Because of this seven-year gap, many drivers are experiencing something different in their vehicles - the rendering of a salute.

Department of the Air Force police do not salute drivers, but active duty Airmen will render a salute to the officer in the driver's seat, said Major Stringer.

Airmen are not required to salute passengers or dependents driving a vehicle with an officer vehicle decal, or Department of Defense Form 2220, she said.

"The days of letting people in with just a vehicle decal are gone," said Major Stringer. "We still have to positively identify that person."

Active duty security forces personnel who have not interacted with the driver are not required to salute a vehicle as it passes through the gate. However, wing and group leadership, as well as government vehicles with the proper plate displayed, will be saluted, said Major Stringer.

"Blue-suiters" is the common term here to describe active duty Air Force personnel.

"Department of Air Force police officers can do everything that the 'blue-suiters' do," said Major Stringer. "They can work on the flight line, show up at a domestic call in housing, run radar, and respond to 911 calls."

With a high rate of deployment for security forces personnel, the presence of Department of the Air Force police allows them more flexibility should an entire unit be deployed.

"It gives us much more flexibility so that if, for whatever reason, we did have to pick up and move as an entire unit to go do a deployed mission, somebody could stay behind to take care of the boss's priorities here," said Major Stringer.

Nevertheless, change can carry with it difficulties, but so far the transition back to active duty gate guards has gone well.

"We've had little hiccups at the gate, but that was to be expected. But for the most part, after a couple phone calls, we were able to get things worked out," said Major Stringer. "I cannot complain about the transition."