AETC officials to automate entry control

  • Published
  • By Capt. John Severns
  • 17th Security Forces Squadron
RANDOLPH AFB, Texas --  Drivers pulling up at gates on Goodfellow AFB will have something new to greet them in the near future -- the Defense Biometric Identification System, or DBIDS.

The most visible part of DBIDS, which has already been introduced at Air Force bases around the world, is the hand-held wireless scanner.

Gate guards can use the scanner to read the bar codes on common access cards and instantly tell who the person is and whether or not they're allowed on the base.

The hand-held scanners provide gate guards with an instant, always-on connection to a Department of Defense database. The DBIDS database interfaces with the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) that provides us with an initial data dump of active-duty members, civilians, retired members and dependents within the base ZIP code area. However, additional information must be added locally, such as unit, access rights during higher force protection conditions or phone numbers.

"The most significant gain from using the new system will be to installation security. DBIDS will allow guards to develop a standard, interoperable network command wide", said Col. Gerard Jolivette, AETC security forces chief.

Other instances in which DBIDS will be superior to the current system includes notifying guards about lost or stolen ID cards, individuals barred from base, or persons who are being sought by their commander for an emergency or key response notification, the colonel said. The moment ID cards are reported stolen, or people expected to enter gates who require notification or detention, the information can be flagged in the system, instantly alerting guards.

"DBIDS will result in a significant improvement in force protection," Colonel Jolivette said. "By adding a degree of automation to our entry control process, we reduce the chance of an unauthorized individual gaining access to the base and more importantly, we will add a significant measure of deterrence that is critical to in our reaching the command's antiterrorism and force protection objectives."

DBIDS is not a new system, the colonel emphasized. The database itself has existed since 2001, and the wireless scanners first saw use at installation gates in South Korea in 2002. U.S. Army installations in Europe and Central Command installations started using the system in 2003, and the system first started appearing in the United States in 2005.

All personnel that routinely enter the base must register with the system. Registration consists of bringing all valid government issued identification cards used for base entry to a registration station and answering a few easy questions. Registration takes approximately 5-7 minutes per person.
Goodfellow is scheduled to start using the system in April 2010. Registration begins in December and is scheduled to continue until March 2010. Permanent party and civilian employees will be scheduled to register through their unit POCs. Students will begin registering at inprocessing beginning 1 January 2010. Retirees, dependents and contractors will begin registering 15 February 2010. The goal is to make registration convenient for the Goodfellow community by scheduling registration in manageable allotments and in easily accessible locations.