Air Force Discontinues Use of Base Decals

[ELTHunter]

As picked up in NOTF.  I had been told this about our local Air NG base, but this is the first I've seen it officially.

U.S. Air Force discontinues use of base decals
By Senior Master Sgt. Matt Proietti, USAF, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
    U.S. 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, Col. 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," Col. 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, Col. 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, and;
    -- 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's 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," Col. 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, Col. 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," Col. 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, Col. 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."

[jimmydeanno]

Thank god!  What a pain in the but and useless program that was.  The government spending millions to check people have insurance...

I am in complete agreement with EVERY statement that was written in that article and look forward to peeling mine off shortly...

[afgeo4]

This shall make my entry onto Ft. Hamilton even more difficult. lol

[JohnKachenmeister]

I always like the eagles and stars on the cars next to the blue stickers for the high-ranking officers.  That way the terrorists know who's car to plant the bomb in.

[afgeo4]

I always like the eagles and stars on the cars next to the blue stickers for the high-ranking officers.  That way the terrorists know who's car to plant the bomb in.

I don't think they're discontinuing "flagging" military vehicles with Col and above.

[Duke Dillio]

I always like the eagles and stars on the cars next to the blue stickers for the high-ranking officers.  That way the terrorists know who's car to plant the bomb in.

I don't think they're discontinuing "flagging" military vehicles with Col and above.

I thought the generals liked to have the little flags fluttering when they went on a Sunday drive...

[Cecil DP]

The "Official" vehicles still have the flags, eagles, and Commander plates. The "personal" vechicles of O-6 and General/Flag officers had eagles and stars next to the base sticker.

[Duke Dillio]

I remember that part, but if you were a general, wouldn't you put one of those cool little flags on your personal vehicle?   

[mikeylikey]

Back to decals...........I am against getting rid of them.  Makes the lines longer.

[a2capt]

Most of the installations have stopped issuing CAP folks decals anyway, they used to commonly issue the 'green' one indicating gov't employee. Alot of that has been privatized and you have to pay $100/year for a CAC now, here on the Marine facilities in the west coast, for example. The lines have gotten longer, but it does vary.  All in all, it did make things smoother for weekly meetings at times. What it basically meant that the vehicle was verified to have been properly registered and insured, yes, a duplication of effort, but it was also a good indicator that someone is familiar with the facility, where they are going, etc.

Gotta do.. what you gotta do..

[Duke Dillio]

It has been my experience that post 9/11, every military facility that I have visited doesn't pay any attention to the decal at all.  When I went to the AFA about a year and a half ago, they sent me over to a different building, even though I was in CAP uniform with all credentials, and I had to get a little slip/day pass to put on my windshield to get onto the post.  I also had to have a sponsor assigned who would take responsibility for me being there.  In this case, I was picking up a new set of Class A's so they called the MCSS and one of the clerks accepted responsibility.  I understand security as well as anyone but this is getting almost too rediculous.  I think that's why a lot of CAP units have gone to off-post facilities.

[PHall]

In this case, I was picking up a new set of Class A's so they called the MCSS and one of the clerks accepted responsibility.

Well there's your problem, the Air Force doesn't have "Class A's". We have "Service Dress".
They probably thought you were an ill trained terrorist!

[Cecil DP]

I remember that part, but if you were a general, wouldn't you put one of those cool little flags on your personal vehicle?   

No, because the flag is an official issue that stays with the official car and when Gen Jones leaves the car the flag comes off or gets covered.

[Hawk200]

Back to decals...........I am against getting rid of them.  Makes the lines longer.

Doesn't make them any longer than they are now. ID is being checked at the gate whether you have a sticker or not. Why spend money on something that is no longer even looked at?

[Stonewall]

The DD 2220 is looked at and does serve a purpose.  I won't argue why I think we should keep them, but I will tell you how and why they are used.

On any given military installation there are as many as 200 people who have lost their driving privileges for one reason or another.  Call it DUI, too many traffic tickets, suspended licenses, uninsured vehicle or for some medical reason, they can't drive.  How do you identify these people as they attempt to come on base?  They don't have a decal.  That's how.  People who are not allowed to drive on base are not issued a decal or it is "scraped" by base police.  This does not mean they can't come on base, but rather, they can't drive on base.

Invalid registration tags.  As you know, you have to show proof of registration, insurance and a valid driver license to get a base decal.  If decals go away, anyone can drive any vehicle on base, regardless of a valid registration, insurance, or even a dern driver license.  Do you want to be hit by someone that doesn't have insurance?  Sure, you can register your vehicle and cancel your insurance the next day, but the likelihood of someone doing so is reduced.

Identification of a vehicle.  As part of an investigation from a traffic accident, stolen vehicle, or some other event involving a vehicle on base, the decal can be traced back to the person the decal was issued to.  Sure, someone can go register their vehicle then give the decal to another person, but when they get pulled over for a RAM (Random Anti-terrorism Measure) called an AVI ([Command] Authorized Vehicle Inspection) and caught with falsified information, not just one, but two different parties will feel the repricutions.

Plus, it adds one more level of defense.  A small one, but a level nonetheless.  It was said that a "bad guy" could easily make a fake decal.  Well, they could easily make a fake CAC or contractor ID card too.  But we aren't going to get rid of CACs are we?

As for Tango's IDing you because of your DOD decal, what about 3/4 of the military members that drive around with their DD214 plastered all over the back of their vehicles.  Heck, there's a guy in my area that I don't even know that has a CAP front license plate.  In Florida, there are vanity tags issued from DMV that have Paratroopers, one for each branch of the military, and veterans plates to boot.  Not to mention the Special Forces Association plate.  In Virginia, they have more military vanity plates than anyone.  In Reston, Virginia where I lived there was a Medal of Honor recipient driving around with his CMH plate and a USMC decal on the back. 

Can a bad guy ID you by your DOD decal?  Absolutely.  But chances are, they can ID you 5 other ways too.  Your haircut, tattoos, military decals on your POV, uniforms in your car, when you open your wallet and your CAC is right there for everyone to see, new guys out of basic with their dog tags hanging all over the place.  Is a DOD decal really that big of a deal?

Okay, so there.  How and why a DD Form 2220 (base decal) is used and a little extra.

Some bases, to include the two navy bases in Jacksonville, already have bar code scanners for selected personnel so there is no ID card to show.  It may help with traffic flow, but all you have to do is steal a car that has the bar code and drive right in.

[RiverAux]

I drive around every day with no guarantee that any other person on the road has a valid registration, drivers license, or insurance.  All are already required by state law.  Having the AF check these once a year, or however often they did it, doesn't guarantee that the person won't lose their license, have their plates expire, or drop their insurance the very next day.  I applaud them for recognizing and eliminating an unnecessary practice. 

[Stonewall]

I bet the number of motorists driving on a military base without registration, license or insurance is far lower than outside the installation.  I'm thinking it's partly due to the higher level of enforcement via the base decal.  I could be wrong, just sayin'.

[RiverAux]

I bet its due to the fact that if you get caught breaking driving rules on base it has a very direct impact on your career.  That usually isn't the case in the civilian world. 

[mikeylikey]

Back to decals...........I am against getting rid of them.  Makes the lines longer.

Doesn't make them any longer than they are now. ID is being checked at the gate whether you have a sticker or not. Why spend money on something that is no longer even looked at?

Well where I am at they have a "DoD decal line" and a "everyone else" line.  Now my line is being flooded with  "everyone" else, to include visitors and people who have to stop and ask the guard how to get where they are going.  BLAH

[Duke Dillio]

In this case, I was picking up a new set of Class A's so they called the MCSS and one of the clerks accepted responsibility.

Well there's your problem, the Air Force doesn't have "Class A's". We have "Service Dress".
They probably thought you were an ill trained terrorist!

I am an ill trained terrorist...  Whoa, did I say that out loud.  Man, I really am bad at this whole thing...