Is a military object, e.g., a militaty base, or a moored USS
ship, be guarded, by regulations, or anyone can approach them? I say “by regulations” because everything in the military is done by regulations.
I dunno about all of them, but here in Seoul the American military base has guarded entrances… those of us here who are American, and are NOT ex-military are not allowed on the base (unless there is some special reason, like you are taking college courses offered on the base, etc. Then you need a special pass).
I’d love to get on the base to eat at the restaurants!! I love Korean food, but sometimes I need a little grease!!
Some military facilities are restricted access areas, others are not. While not denied entry, civilians are subject to military regulations while in such areas. Guards may be granted police authority in some circumstances. In restricted areas military authority takes precedence, and any visit is at sufferance of command authority.
The exact restrictions are made known to the guards and might include any identified person, any person with military identification, military persons in uniform, or a specific list of persons. Usually a very highly restricted area is entirely within another area with less stringent limits to access.
In some cases no one is allowed inside an area except under specific circumstance or with specific authorization in each instance. It all depends on the reason for, and requirements of the restrictions. In many cases the national defense condition will alter the level of restriction, as well.
Tris
My Dad was retired Navy, and I’ve noticed that you usually need a reason to be allowed onto a base, even with ID. On the other hand, the reason can be as simple as “I want to use the bowling alley”, so this doesn’t really add to the security.
Tx, Tris. I know about the entrances, I wonder about the perimeter. I understand that it’s impossible to guard every yard of a big base, but then they send motorized guards once every… If they see somebody “suspicious” (with big wire cutters) can they “shoo” him away? What about a USS? A few guards can observe the boards.
Smackfu, my dad was also in the navy for most of my adolescent years, and I had a dependent’s ID card, which allowed me to waltz onto the base here (Moffett Field, in Mountain View, CA) without any stated reason. You show them the card, they wave you through the gate.
Of course, you had to waltz. You couldn’t just walk.
I work aboard a naval air station - a large portion of the base perimeter is riverfront. I’m always amazed that at times of heightened security, I’ve NEVER seen the waterfront patrolled. I often wondered what the security folks would do if someone tried to climb over the seawall…
Most of the military bases I have been on (and there have been many) had guards and perimeter fences. However, there are exceptions like Fort Riley (in KS) which had gateposts but no gates or guards and no fences. In fact a state highway runs right through the place.
Maybe they figure its safe 'cause no one WANTS to go there…I know I certainly don’t!
I grew up near Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base. There are sentries at every entrance to the base. If you are driving on to base and have a military sticker on your car they just wave you through. If you need to get on base and don’t have a sticker or aren’t military you can stop and get a temporary pass. All you need to get a temporary pass is a driver’s license, registration and a destination. The pass has your destination on it so if you get stopped they know where you were suppose to be going.
There is a state highway that runs through Camp Lejeune too. It runs through two of the side gates that aren’t used as often. You have to stop at the gate and tell the sentry that you are just “passing through”. He will give you a piece of paper saying that you are not suppose to leave the highway or stop for any reason.
Camp Lejeune is a huge base and I don’t think that it is entirely fenced in. In addition it has a lot of beach and water front property. If they catch someone sneaking in the parameter or wondering around where they shouldn’t be they will make them leave.
Fort Bragg in NC was considered an open post which means that anyone could drive onto the base without going through guards. (Of course certain areas are secure.) I think now they are putting up gates at some if not all of the entrances.
Today I found the answer. Apparently, the moored USSs are guarded. The USS Cole was formally guarded, but by scarecrows: live ammunition was removed from sentries weapons!
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001114/ts/yemen_report_dc_2.html
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/US/USS_Cole/
I understand that the US wants to appear friendly and peaceful, especially in non-friedly countries. This countries, while not being friendly, profit handsomely from the services provided to our ships. We can afford to pay them even more but in return, we should warn them that all USSs are guarded 24/7 and the guard are real and will fire upon any approaching vessel. Either that or we will continue to pay with the young lives. Terrorists (even suicidal ones) understand only one language: force. No amount of FBI/CIA/MP investigation on even judicial prosecution of the accomplices will not prevent future bombings. Proper security will.
I do not want to live in a contry which looks like a military camp. Our military is people’s military and should be open and not insulated. But lax security only invites mayhem. Of course, dependents and others with proper issued IDs should be allowed to visit whatever is “visitable” (not the silos, I mean). They are not likely to bomb a military base. But “curious” strangers? It’s only matter of time till a terrorist bomb is exploded on a military base. Reasonable, not very drastic security may be a great deterrent. Natural resources, bowling alleys, etc., can and should be accessible to civilians (it’s their’s, in a way), but lax security is lax security, not “friendliness”. People will see strong military instead of "friendly"and lousy one. They will see that their money works.
I’ve driven that route several times and there’s been no piece of paper involved. Just tell the sentry when you enter that you’re “just passing through”, as you said, and that’s it. If there are maneuvers going on, I’m sure they’ll send you the long way, through Jacksonville.
The drive through Camp Lejeune is a little interesting, though - the “Tank Crossing” signs with a little picture of a tank every half a mile or so, the churned-up sand to prove it, and my personal favorite, the “Caution, Live Fire Area - Stay On Road” sign.
Every time I’ve visited a military base on business, there have been different security procedures. They seem to be under local command, and are subject to frequent and seemingly-arbitrary changes. None of them seem like they’d stop a terrorist with half a brain, though.
peace - We have been through this before. October 23, 1983 in Beirut Lebanon when 243 men were killed in a terrorist bombing. The USA doesn’t seem to learn from its mistakes.
There is a beautiful memorial in Jacksonville.
http://www.beirut-memorial.org/history/brochure.html
ElvisL1ves - I have driven that route once a week for about three years now. They use to just give the paper out every once in a while. In the last six months or so it has gotten pretty standard. Trust me, there is a piece of paper. I don’t make things up.
If there are maneuvers going on they send you a detour way through the base. You never have to drive all the way to J-ville. The detour is a little longer but a lot more scenic. You get to see where they store some of the artillery. You might think that they are easy about letting people get on base, but there is no way anyone is getting near the artillery.
My favorite sign is one which reads “Warning - Artillery Firing Over Public Roads Day and Night”
Well, two Amtrak routes (the Coast Starlight and the San Luis Obispo run of the Pacific Surfliner) use tracks that pass right through Vandenberg Air Force Base within sight of the Titan missile facilities. It’s supposed to be one of the highlights of the Coast Starlight trip to see a long stretch of Pacific coastline that is relatively undeveloped and otherwise nearly inaccessible to civilians. Certainly no public roads pass through the same area.
From what I’ve heard, they don’t allow the trains to pass through the base during launches. The Air Force not only launches satellite-bearing rockets at Vandenberg, it also tests experimental missile systems (Star Wars-type stuff) there, so that might contribute to the security (and safety) concerns. 
Mind you, there is no train station on the airbase, so Amtrak and the Air Force would, for different reasons, be rather unamused by an unscheduled stop on the base grounds.