Civilian Security at Military Bases
The Tank picks up on something I’ve been pissed (and concerned) about for quite some while: private security companies guarding military installations. When we don’t have enough troops to guard our own bases, we’ve got a serious problem.
In terms of security, there were military policemen everywhere, except the main gate..When I pulled up, the only thing I had to show the civilian DoD guard (no soldiers were present at the gate) was my driver’s license, which I flashed at the guard with my thumb over my license picture..But the guard didn’t even look at the license. Nor did he glance inside my SUV, which was packed with everything from boxes to gym bags. He just glanced at the line of cars behind me, and said, “Welcome to Fort Jackson. Victory starts here.”. . .Fort Jackson, which I discussed last Wednesday (and will be visiting again next week), is the largest U.S. Army basic-training facility in the nation. Which makes me wonder why entry security may be so lax, even if it is Armed Forces Day.
The same is true at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, which is the Air Force’s only basic training base, unlike the Army’s numerous basic training posts.
20. June, 2007 at 15:22
[…] That’s right! Let’s keep on outsourcing our security for military facilities! It’s a great idea! An armed security guard at Walter Reed Army Medical Center opened fire at another guard Wednesday outside a busy entrance to the hospital, police said. No one was injured. […]