Fort Rucker begins new access procedures

By Fort Rucker Public AffairsApril 23, 2015

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FORT RUCKER, Ala. (April 23, 2015) -- While most in the Fort Rucker community will be largely unaffected by upcoming changes to the post's access policy, those who the changes do affect have a 30-plus day grace period to meet the new requirement of having a visitor badge.

Beginning April 27, visitors will begin being issued visitor badges at the visitor control centers at the Enterprise, Daleville and Ozark gates to help them prepare for the policy to go into full effect May 29, according to Col. Stuart J. McRae, Fort Rucker garrison commander.

After that date, any visitor age 18 and older who does not have a badge will be directed to a visitor center to apply for one, he added. To ensure that Fort Rucker is adhering to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12, during the application process all visitors will be vetted through the National Crime Information Center Interstate Identification Index. While this is a DOD-wide initiative, the Fort Rucker Directorate of Public Safety is streamlining the process for accessing the post.

Even with the badge, visitors will still need an additional scannable form of ID, like a driver's license, to access the post, officials said.

The change does not affect people who hold a Department of Defense ID card or Common Access Card, Army Form 1602 for contractors, or others with a federal-department issued ID, according to Fort Rucker Directorate of Public Safety officials.

"I want to thank all of our Wiregrass neighbors in advance for their patience as we implement our new gate procedures," McRae said during a media roundtable held at garrison headquarters April 21. "Fort Rucker is not an island, and we rely on and appreciate the great relationships that we have developed over the years with our many partners and friends from within our local communities.

"We still have numerous opportunities to continue our partnerships on an individual and collective basis, and want you to visit and participate in the great activities we work so hard to coordinate," he added. "This policy is not to keep people out of our installation -- it's to ensure the wrong people don't get in."

The visitor centers at the three gates will be open Mondays-Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Officials expect a rush at the beginning of the grace period. Badges will not be issued outside of visitor center operating hours, so those visiting on weekends or after duty hours need to plan ahead. The time it takes to get a badge depends largely on how many people are there when applying, but DPS officials said the background check itself averages out between 10-20 minutes.

"We hope the majority of people who need a visitor badge will take advantage of the grace period so they may do it at their convenience, and also so when May 29 comes, we won't have backups at the gates," McRae said. "But our guards will start asking for the badge during the grace period, not to hold you up, but to give you a reminder to make sure you get one before May 29."

People applying for a badge should stay in the right-hand lane at the gates so they can easily transition into the visitor center, he added.

"We could have some delays if someone is in the left lane and have to turn in front of traffic to get into the visitor center," McRae said. "The guards would have to stop traffic to allow that person to get into the center safely. Staying in the right lane is important."

The policy does allow for uniformed service members, adult family members, DOD employees, retired service members and their adult family members with valid DOD ID, CAC-holding contractors to escort visitors without badges onto the installation. Contractors with a Form 1602 are not allowed to escort. People who are escorted onto the installation in this way must remain with their escort at all times, officials said.

People who need badges, whether they be contract employees, taxi drivers, delivery drivers, civilians wanting to use the SPLASH! park or family visiting from out of town should work with the agency or person they have dealings with to coordinate getting a visitor badge.

During the grace period, all passes will be good for a year, according to officials.

May 29 and after, there will be two types of badges available -- sponsored and unsponsored. Frequent visitors who utilize facilities or activities or who conduct business on post regularly, can apply with the organization they visit or deal with for a sponsored pass good for a year. Unsponsored passes will last for six months. Entry procedures for special events, such as Freedom Fest, will be looked at on a case-by-case basis and will be publicized beforehand, McRae added.

"Additionally, we are collaborating with other Army installations and, as we continue to move down this road, I am confident we will find ways to make this more convenient and more efficient."

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