I spent a few days at West Point a couple of years ago. The gate guards there were civilians.
When I was a kid my parents had a friend at Wright Patterson AFB. I don’t think the guard was civillian but once he knew us he just waved us through.
I believe his name was Dallas.
Remember today is NOVEMBER 5.
“Remember remember
The Fifth of November
The gunpowder treason and plot.
I can think of no reason
The gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot
Coincidence??
Most of the gate guards at AF Bases are civilians as well. It’s contracted out, now.
Most military installations have converted to civilian contractors for gate guard duties because they’re using the active duty folks for the war fighting efforts. It also reduces their workloads when they return from overseas after being involved in the war.
There will occassionally be a mix of active duty security personnel mixed in with them, but mainly the rent a cops have control at the gates.
What’s curious about this whole thing is that I’ve entered many installations in the past few years and all were performing ID checks and pulling over larger vehicles for visual and sometimes, K-9 inspections.
As for some of the posters commenting on military installations being “gun free zones”. That’s not entirely true. Alot depends on the installation commander. With the exception of the barracks, those living in military housing can keep their weapons at home. I believe the installation commander still retains discretion over that matter.
SZ