Unauthorized access at Joint Base Andrews results in shot being fired
A man went to a housing area of Joint Base Andrews. He did not have the authority to be in that area. An alert resident discharged a firearm and then security forces arrived to detain the intruder. This incident is under investigation.
From the Military Times:
Social media users criticized the installation for keeping mum on the incident for several hours. A spokesperson for the 316th Wing, which oversees the day-to-day operations at Andrews, said they would release another update on the response Tuesday.
It’s not the first time the base’s security has been breached. In February 2021 a man got onto the installation through the military checkpoint and additional fenced secure areas to gain access to the flight line and climb into a C-40, which is the military’s 737-equivalent aircraft used to fly government officials.
That intruder was apprehended because the “mouse ears” cap he was wearing struck an observant airman as odd.
An inspector general’s investigation found three main security failings, starting with “human error” by a gate security guard who allowed the man to drive onto the base even though he had no credentials that authorized his access. Hours later, the man walked undetected onto the flight line by slipping through a fence designed to restrict entry. Finally, he walked onto and off a parked airplane without being challenged, even though he was not wearing a required badge authorizing access to the restricted area.
The Air Force pledged to review its base security protocols around the world in response to the intrusion.
The next month, a 29-year-old man was arrested after repeatedly ramming a swing arm barrier at Andrews’ main gate.
The Military Times has the rest of the story.
Category: Air Force
How about using Marine gate rats at the checkpoints
Very much to the point I’ve been wondering about. Last few times I’ve been to a military base, there were primarily civilians manning the gates and only a few base personnel. The civilians had a very unprofessional, lackadaisical yet arrogant attitude. A very few were obviously former service but most reminded me of mall cops.
I was told by retired friends my observations were on point. I was also told it was a “cost-cutting” measure to have contractors instead of AD personnel. Which makes no sense.
How is it cheaper to pay real wages and overhead for a contract over lower-enlisted with a few NCOs to ride herd? With enlistments and retention what it is, not having enough grunts to go around may make sense, but this has been the last five years or so.
Anyone have some insight?
I don’t know if it is ultimately cost-saving, but contracts present a one-time payment and less administration while a uniformed troop is a recurring and mushrooming investment.
I agree that it’s the wrong way to go, especially when you need more troops to the line in a hurry and you can’t pull them off guard duty (or KP or anything else we used to do before those all became contracts). It’s certainly easier, cheaper, and faster to give refresher/transition training (MOS, not gender) to a pool of already-qualified soldiers than to build them from raw recruit.
Like with most changes, there isn’t one single catalyst for these shifts. Many were happening when recruitment numbers were pretty dependable and the concerns were more about readiness and fair treatment (“Why is this private mowing the lawn or serving KP when he should be training for war!? Send him back to the barracks so he can play Call of Duty like the rest of his unit!”).
Base Security…. you had me at, “Mouse Ears”.
Hoprefully not like this:
There recently have been many of these. Trust me. it’s not a big deal-ish. unless you’re in the SECFO flight that has some ‘splainin’ to do.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joint-base-andrews-intruder-arrested-second-person-fled/
two individuals drove through the security checkpoint and “failed to adhere to commands”
One, the 17-year-old, was apprehended and had a gun. No shots were fired, and the man remains in custody.
The base’s Security Forces Defenders and local police conducted a full sweep across the installation and found “confirmatory evidence that the base intruder on the loose had departed the installation,”
(Climbed the fence and left part of his clothing there upon exiting stage left. GTFO post haste. ) 😅
Urban yoots from PG County.
Ya know it’s funny how all this has happened at Andrews.
A few miles up the road, I accidentally went in the wrong entry at Fort Meade (NSA side) off of the BWI. Showed them my CAC and said I made a mistake on coming in on the wrong side. They still made me get out of my car and spend another 20 minutes there with them while they went through my car, and then let me turn around.
Never made that mistake again.
I made the exact same mistake a few years back.
You’d think (assuming we’re not the only two idiots to ever wear a uniform) it’s something that happens often, and there’d be a better protocol in place for wrong turns.
I actually had an appointment with a JAG at Meade but their particular initial office was on the NSA campus and I tried to do the same thing, intentionally went with my retired ID card to access the office and they nicely but grumily sent me to the other gate and then said they’d have to call someone to meet me at Pass and ID and then that didn’t happen and I ended up going to the JAG at Meade Proper. Not a ton of help either way.
At least I didn’t get a free NSA rectal exam.
I like the video of the one where the police where chasing them, they flew on to the flight line and hit an F18 taking fleeing felon passenger’s head clean off.
Hopefully the family is suing the military for negligently parking their aircraft in the open like that.
https://www.military.com/video/police-chase-ends-crash-f-18-super-hornet
Ouch!
All the proof that the demonrats need to prove that fences don’t work. /s/
Somebody shorely gots some ‘splaining to do. Must be a local problem. Everytime we had to go onto RAFB to do telecommunications work we had to jump thru all kinds of hoops. Full truck and personnel inspections, ID check (2 types of picture, DL & Company), work order signed by higher, escort of armed APs. Gates had crash barriers that could be remotely deployed in .25 seconds. Oh, and let’s not forget about the K-9 Officers right there for…reasons.
I’m a DA civilian, TS-SBI clearance, and sometimes I still have to have an escort in certain places I do work. Intel types are funny like that.
You still get to store TS documents in cardboard boxes in your garage behind your classic Jeep, right?
Right?
I admit nothing. Call my lawer. I will admit to finding a couple M-16 magazines in a footlocker of old gear, though.
I wonder if James O’Keefe could get away with such a challenge, make a recording of it and put it on Youtube.
If the Security Forces at Andrews is this messed up, how secure is Air Force One?
Somebody-done-gots a-some splainin’ ta-do! That is unless they’re part of a protected victim class or ethnicity, maybe the Guards were more afraid of “offending” someone or hurting their feelings?
Years ago, at Subase New London, CT, the powers that be decided to open up the entrance to the main base, but kept the “lower base” “secure”. You know, the place where the subs are.
Anyway, the security bosses, upon receiving a LOT of criticism, defended themselves by saying that their decision was based on risk assessments that said that they could concentrate more on securing the lower base by opening the upper base.
The way I remember it, the day after the security boss made that statement, the local 6 o’clock news broadcast from one of the sub piers. No permission from the base. They simply entered the main base no problem and then entered the lower base no problem, then entered one of the piers through the security access point NO PROBLEM.
I laughed my ass off watching this. In the background of the report was a sub with a VERY confused topside watch wondering what he should do.
After this incident, the bosses “fixed” their weaknesses, but they must have forget to tell the unauthorized person who waltzed onto the sub piers about a week later.
Last time I was at New London, the main gate was once again closed.
Oh, and one of the guys who worked for me at New London told me how they used to get on the lower base by flashing their AMEX cards which looked pretty close to the active duty ID cards at the time. I wagged my finger at him and told him to not do it again. I’m sure he and his shipmates do though.
Before they closed Ft. Bliss there were nearly 20 car thefts a month on post on average. The month after it dropped to two, then zero. Back then El Paso was the car theft capitol of the US.
Used to bicycle through Bliss en route to work. When the closed it down I was forced onto Airport around the post….NOT fun!
Kind of confusing article. How did the resident know the intruder was not authorized to be in that area? Does he know everyone who lives there- and their visitors? So he fires a round? Try that outside the base (in D.C.) and see what happens. The headlines make it sound like a major security violation when it was probably some mope opportunity burglar who picked the wrong neighborhood.
I find this to be somewhat unusual.
“A man went to a housing area of Joint Base Andrews. He did not have the authority to be in that area. An alert resident discharged a firearm and then security forces arrived to detain the intruder.”
Not that an intruder was detected in the base, but that a base resident had a firearm in quarters and discharged same on base. I wonder if the base CG is now going to order all POFs (privately owned firearms) be restricted to the base armory, especially since said “resident” took more effective action than the SP’s.
Ft Huachuca policy allows privately owned weapons in housing IF the weapons are registered with the Provost Marshal. Not applicable to barracks personnel, their weapons must go in the arms room.
OK it’s been a day now and I’m shocked that you Jr Sherlock Holmes fuckers haven’t posted this yet. Apparently the individual who fired his weapon in housing was kinda identified as Rahn Bass, the husband of the SIMSAF CMSAF Bass.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11724291/Chief-Master-Sergeants-HUSBAND-involved-intruder-incident-Joint-Base-Andrews.html
Sounds like Mr. Bass put the fear of God into some punk sneak thief.
If Turd Bolling of Ambassador Worldwide Protection Agency (both national and international) had been on the watch, this would have not happened. Well, maybe.
His training in the Military Forces, fake LEO and Navy SEAL status has prepared him well for any and all eventualities.
Turd Bolling….I know you’ve said this for quite a few years now but it just struck me as…maybe a new recreational activity?? Like Cow Chip Tossing?
Turd Bowling.
It’s all fun and games until the s@!t hits the pin.