Member Submission: Barrment from Military Installations/Bases
The following was sent in by a Member. If anyone had a similar experience, please share so he can work towards resolving this issue.
I retired from the Navy in Dec 2000 due to my impending legal issues. I received a full retirement, as I had already completed over 20 years of service. In June 2001 I had my day in court and my journey on the registry began.
Here in Jacksonville the Naval Hospital is located on the Naval Air Station. So every time I had a need for a service from the hospital I would show my identification card (ID) and zip onboard the Base. I have easily gone onto the Base 100 times since my retirement. Never an issue…well until today.
I arrived at the front gate of the Base about 7 am to ensure I would be early for my scheduled 745 appointment. I presented my ID and was told there is a problem, would I pull over to the area designated for “problems”. Apparently in 2011, Patrick Air Force Base in Canaveral placed a note on my account barring my entry to their base which meant I now barred from ALL military installations. After a number of Security personnel came over and asked questions, one of them made a command decision to escort me to the Hospital for my appointment; with the understanding I would get in touch with Security to figure out what flagged my ID card. I had a sneaking suspicion I knew what was going on.
A call to the Security Officer, a call to security at Patrick AFB and it was confirmed that my status as a Registered Citizen put me on a “Do not allow access” list. SOOO, since 2011, I have been gaining access to the Base ILLEGALLY. Yep, my 10 plus visits for my wife to the ER, ILLEGAL; my 30 days in the ICU, ILLEGAL; my 16 visits for inpatient/outpatient procedures, ILLEGAL; you get the idea.
As the last medical appointment was finished, I found two Security Officers waiting to escort me across the Hospital to the Security Office. Totally degrading, completely a walk of shame. Once at the Security Office, I was presented a letter on behalf of the Commanding Officer denying any access to the Base. If I attempt to gain access to ANY military installation I will be in violation of TRESPASS of a FEDERAL FACILITY/INSTALLATION. Title 18, Section 1382 empowers military commanders to prohibit certain individuals from entering on military base, or even in a region or area. A barrment is an action taken by a debarring official, usually a garrison commander, under the applicable laws and regulations to exclude a person or business from entering on a military installation or participating in contracts under the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Once a person or business is so excluded, it is considered that such person or business are debarred. https://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/how-to-appeal-a-barment-letter-from-military-base
Then, I was escorted back across the Hospital by another Security Officer to get back to the car. That Officer then followed my car off the Base.
I currently have no idea what am I supposed to do about my medical benefits that I pay an additional premium to get handled on the Base? I have lost access to my primary care DR, the Pharmacy, as well as all the other services the Hospital offered. How do I take care of getting my spouses ID card replaced later this year when it expires?
I share this experience because I know there are some others that are retired military or have access to a military installation to just beware, Barrment from one Installation will most likely result in barrment from ALL Installations.
Discover more from Florida Action Committee
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I had a situation at Mayport installation several years back. I was a subcontractor to AT&T and I had a work order to remove some telecom batteries from a building which I previously visited 7 months prior. Upon presenting my credentials, the pass and decal lady ran my information in this new “RapidGate” program that the installations started using earlier that year. She informed me that I am unable to get a pass. I said I was just here and received a pass 7 months ago. she said ooooo, had yeah I can see you in our system and had you came back 60 days ago, you could’ve came on. So I asked what was the reason conlsidering it’s literally going to take me 15 minutes to remove them and exit the base. she said she doesnt know and gave me a number to call. I called the number and the guy said it was because my name showed up on the registry and due to the safety of their personnel and the facility, i am denied. Im likeits literally going to take 15 minutes from start to finish. he said unless i can have someone else do the job, he cannot allow me on… even with an escort. so i said ok and hung up. 2 weeks later, I received a nice little letter from the CO of the base explaining that i am banned from entering the base, the exchange (which is off base), and the Ribault housing area. Failing to comply will lead to me being detained and federally charged with trespassing. Now our company was small, it as only myself and another tech in jacksonville, and the other tech was out of state on another job so it was just me here. As a vet, i was offended to be “banned” from a base, but it was not like I was a frequent visitor of the base both while i was in and when i got out.
Chris,
Does access to the base still hold importance? There are possible avenues you can take to request a waiver. There are no guarantees but you dont ask and the answer is always NO.
Access to telecom facilities with equipment owned by AT&T on base is/was important at the time. Base utility/maintenance staff have strict instructions not to perform any maintenance, removal, or installation of the equipment (building collapse or fire is different). I never disputed anything she said nor made a big fuss on the phone about my prior visit (before the implementation of rapidgate). I just said thank you and calmly left the base. Then notified my supervisor of my denial to base access and he personally drove up to take care of the job.
I just found it funny that I received a “banned” letter from the CO of the base which was copied not only to base security but up the chain to darn near short of SECNAV. However, base access IS important to those who frequent medical facilities such as the original poster. Base security doesn’t do anything anyway (LOL) so it would not have been an issue to escort an individual to the hospital and back to the gate. Or a long shot, provide a shuttle from the main gate to there and back. But for me personally, I can care less.