AF Discontinues Use of Base Decals

Air Force Print News | August 21, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Air Force officials are working with other services to allow its people to enter installations without requiring them to display a base decal on their vehicles.

 

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley recently ended use of the sticker, officially called a DD Form 2220, on Air Force installations due to cost, a lack of utility and long-term threats facing bases.

 

The decal was developed in the 1970s as part of a vehicle registration and traffic management system, not to bolster security, said Col.

William Sellers, the Air Force chief of force protection and operations for security forces.

 

"There was a clear and definable need for this system (then)," he said.

"A nationwide vehicle registration database did not exist, insurance was not required by all states and a process was needed to expedite vehicle entry onto installations."

 

Air Force officials began questioning the value of the vehicle registration system in 2005 due to security concerns.

 

Many people incorrectly viewed the decal as being designed to bolster security, Colonel Sellers said. In actuality, the decal lessens it by identifying vehicles of Airmen and civilian workers as potential terror targets and may lure gate guards into complacency.

 

Laws now require motorists to have a legal driver's license issued by a state, proof of vehicle ownership/state registration, evidence of insurance, and safety and emissions inspections. A national vehicle registration system is used by all civilian and military police departments in the country.

 

"We've been putting our own personnel through a process that simply duplicates state and federal mandatory requirements," Colonel Sellers said.

 

If a vehicle from a Navy base is parked illegally on an Army installation, the military police can't use its DD Form 2220 to track the owner because the two services don't share vehicle databases.

Instead, the police will use the license plate number or vehicle identification number to obtain information via two national systems that provide comprehensive driver, vehicle data and access to law enforcement agency information, the colonel said.

 

Security forces and gate guards now check the ID of each person entering an Air Force installation, Colonel Sellers said. This provides better security than a base decal ever did because:

 

-- The vehicle displaying it could have been sold with the decal on it.

-- Its owner may have left the service and not removed the decal.

-- The number on the decal could be duplicated.

-- The decal could be counterfeited.

-- The decal may have been removed from another vehicle.

-- The vehicle may have been stolen.

 

Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., hasn't seen an increase in gate traffic since it stopped issuing base decals six months ago, said Master Sgt.

James Osban, the NCO in charge of the 509th Security Forces Squadron Police Services.

 

"We're identifying the people coming on base and not the vehicle," he said. "We've done a 100 percent ID check for years."

 

Air Force officials have asked other services to allow entry of its people to their installations by honoring their common access cards, appropriate identification or even by issuing them a DD Form 2220, which would enter them in another branch's database. In many cases, Air Force people visit other installations to shop.

 

"That translates into dollars for their Soldiers, Sailors and Marines,"

Colonel Sellers said. "Commanders want Air Force personnel on their bases."

 

Some within the Defense Department feel the registration system still has utility, regardless of inherent weaknesses, Colonel Sellers said.

Installation commanders worried about the time it takes to access bases "need to face today's security challenges."

 

"Using it puts the military in serious danger of losing credibility with its own personnel and the general public," Colonel Sellers said. "The threat is here, it's real and we must continuously improve our processes and procedures."

 

The military branches have spent millions on new entry points, but have failed to review the process of how they allow entry onto an installation, Colonel Sellers said.

 

"The strength of a redesigned gate is defeated if the process to enter is flawed," he said. "Our first line of defense becomes irrelevant. The priority is not expediting entry, but knowing who is entering."

 

Airport Gate Pass

The Transportation Security Administration has issued a directive pertaining to military passengers at U.S. airports.  According to Security Directive 1544-01-10w, families of military members may be granted access to sterile concourse areas to escort the military passenger to the gate or to meet a military passenger's inbound arrival at the gate.

The family member can go to the airline that the military member is flying on and receive a pass to go to the gate.  They will be required to have a pass and a photo ID to get through the security checkpoint.  This is a wonderful opportunity for families to stay with the departing military member longer before they depart, or to be able to greet them at the gate upon their arrival.  This is a wonderful change, spread the word.

 

 

10% Cut Scheduled for January 2008  

    

With the Congressional August recess soon to be upon us, your elected officials will be in district for most of August.  While they are nearby, please visit with them concerning the 10% MEDICARE (and thereby TRICARE) cuts in physician reimbursements automatically scheduled to take place in January 2008 as mandated by the Sustained Growth Rate (SGR) formula that has yet to be corrected by changing MEDICARE Law.

 

These MEDICARE cuts impact you as a military retiree in two ways:

 

1. TRICARE reimbursements are indexed as a percentage (max =100%) of MEDICARE Allowable Amount. Thus, even though you might not be MEDICARE eligible, your out of pocket medical expenses will increase.

 

2. Regardless of whether you have Basic TRICARE or TRICARE FOR LIFE, you might have difficulties finding a health care provider.

 

A recent American Medical Assoication survey of nearly 9,000 doctors shows that if the payment cut goes into effect:

 

- 60% of doctors would limit the number of new MEDICARE patients they accept;

 

- More than two-thirds would defer the purchase of needed information technology in 2008;

 

- 50% would reduce their staff; and

 

- 14% would stop treating patients entirely.

 

Scheduled SGR adjustments over the next nine years will amount to a 40% reduction in payments, while doctors' costs are expected to increase 20% during the same period.

 

In addition to asking for a reversal of the scheduled 10% cut, please ask your elected officials to eliminate the SGR formula.

 

- Please send the suggested letter to your elected officials.

 

- Please visit with them in August and provide them with your signed copy of this letter.

 

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Procedures change at entrance gates

In response to recent concerns regarding military installation access control on a national level, the Directorate of Emergency Services has implemented a new procedure for vehicles entering Fort Belvoir. This new procedure will enhance force protection measures already in place and will increase the overall security of the installation.

Previously, it was possible to enter any access control point in a vehicle with a DoD Decal by showing either a valid State Driver’s License or a DoD ID card.  The change effective this week is that a vehicle with a DoD Decal must have an occupant with a DoD ID.  Simply having a State Driver’s License is no longer enough for access to the installation through any ACP. 

The exception is Tulley Gate where the visitor access is allowed with a valid State Driver’s License under certain conditions. 

A valid DoD ID includes but is not limited to the CAC card, active duty ID, retired military ID, or military dependant ID.
This new rule closes a long standing loop hole in access control procedures that could be exploited by someone who stole a DoD Decal or stole a vehicle with a DoD Decal on it and thereby gaining access to the installation. 

Vehicles with a DoD Decal and not in possession of a DoD ID will be redirected to Tulley Gate where the vehicle will be processed through establish visitor procedures.

The DES understands that this will cause some issues and confusion in the short term but will have the benefit of greatly increasing security.

It is now more important that ever for people to remember to bring their CAC cards with them instead of leaving them in their computers or at home when leaving the installation. Currently, the DES has identified two large groups; Fort Belvoir Elementary School Teachers and Retired DA/DoD Civilians who are affected by this change and is diligently working with both groups to mitigate access caused by the change. 

Both groups will now receive a Fort Belvoir ID issued at the VPOC called the “Insta-Badge” to go along with their DoD Decal. 
If there are any other groups or activities that also need this ID, they are strongly encouraged to call the Directorate of Emergency Services at 703-806-5601. 

Posted on 06/07 at 12:22 PM

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Budget Assumes Big Fee Hikes, Cuts $1.8 Billion from TRICARE

The defense budget the Administration submitted to Congress on February 5 significantly upped the ante in the Pentagon's campaign to raise TRICARE fees.  It assumes even bigger fee hikes for FY2008 than last year's budget submission assumed for FY2007.

Last year's budget proposed tripling TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Standard fees for retired officers and their family members and survivors over a two-year period, and more than doubling them for most enlisted retirees. It also would have increased retail pharmacy fees for all TRICARE beneficiaries of all ages by almost 70%. 

The Administration projected that those fee hikes would save the Pentagon $735 million in FY2007 and $1.86 billion in FY2008, and cut last year's defense health budget by $735 million on the assumption that Congress would accept them.

MOAA and The Military Coalition argued that these dramatic fee hikes would be disproportional and inappropriate, and that the Defense Department had not aggressively pursued other available options to hold down health costs.  (See MOAA brochure on our Web site). 

After receiving tens of thousands of tear-out letters, post cards from MOAA members (see photos on our Web site), Congress agreed with us, barring the Pentagon from increasing fees in FY2007, pending review of alternative options.

This year, the Pentagon hasn't published any specific fee increase plan, indicating they are awaiting the results of a DoD-appointed Task Force on the Future of Military Health Care, which is supposed to provide interim recommendations on cost-sharing and pharmacy copays in May.

But that's disingenuous, because the budget submitted to Congress this week assumes $1.8 billion in savings from TRICARE fee increases.  That's almost three times the savings assumed in the FY2007 budget -- and happens to be precisely the amount of savings associated with the second year of last year's fee hike plan.  So the budget puts enormous pressure on the Task Force (all of whose members were appointed by the Secretary of Defense and half of whom work for the Secretary) to propose at least the same fee hikes the Pentagon pushed last year - and assumes that Congress will implement them all immediately, without any two-year phase-in.

In essence, the Administration has underfunded the defense health budget by presuming the task force's outcome, and has challenged Congress to either change the law to implement fee increases high enough to save $1.8 billion or to find another $1.8 billion from another source to make up for the underfunding.

MOAA thinks it's wrong to play this kind of budget "chicken" with the defense health program - especially in time of war.

We believe strongly that Congress should establish clear guidelines in law about the unique role of military retirement benefits, including health care, as the primary offset for the extraordinary demands and sacrifices inherent in a military career.  We must recognize that military members and families who serve two or three decades under those conditions are making a substantial, in-kind pre-payment for those benefits.  The cash deductibles, enrollment fees and copays that they pay in retirement are only a small portion of their very large personal contributions toward their benefit
 

 

HERE'S TO THE HEROES

In February 2005, Anheuser-Busch launched "Here's to the Heroes" to acknowledge the service of military men and women and the sacrifices made by their families. The program has provided free admission to Anheuser-Busch adventure parks to more than 1.7 million members of U.S.

and coalition armed forces and their families so far, and the parks are proud to extend the offer through 2007.

Here's to the Heroes provides a single day's free admission to any one Sea World or Busch Gardens park, Sesame Place, Adventure Island or Water Country USA for the service member and as many as three direct dependents.

Any active duty, active reserve, ready reserve service member or National Guardsman is entitled to free admission under the program. He or she need only register, either online at www.herosalute.com <http://www.herosalute.com/> or in the entrance plaza of a participating park, and show a Department of Defense photo ID. Also included in the offer are members of foreign military forces serving in the coalitions in Iraq or Afghanistan or attached to American units in the U.S. for training.

The Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks include Sea World parks in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio; Busch Gardens Africa and Adventure Island in Tampa Bay and Busch Gardens Europe and Water Country USA in Williamsburg, Va.; Discovery Cove in Orlando; and Sesame Place near Philadelphia. To learn more about the Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks, visit www.4adventure.com or call toll-free (800)4ADVENTURE.