JBER Security Forces personnel prepared for Arctic Thunder

by Airman 1st Class Tammie Ramsouer
JBER Public Affairs

7/23/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- This Saturday and Sunday morning, families will flock to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, to take in the sights and sounds of the many events during the biennial Arctic Thunder Open House. This is the second open house since the merger of Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson in October 2010.

JBER Security Forces are working hard to ensure safety and security is at its highest standard during the Arctic Thunder Open House.

"We expect roughly 250,000 people from all over Alaska [to come] on the installation," said Air Force Master Sgt. Mark Centeno, 673d Security Forces Squadron noncommissioned officer-in-charge of operations and one of the lead coordinators for the security and parking of the ATOH.

The gates open to the public starting on July 26, at 9 a.m. through the Richardson and Boniface gates. The Boniface Gate however, will only be used as a straight route for the open house during the hours of operation.

When the public goes through the Fort Richardson gate, they will enter through Check Point Pride where they will be separated from ATOH traffic and installation traffic.

This process is different from the day-to-day system JBER's base access personnel use.
The responsibility of base access is to process individuals through the Defense Biometric Identification System at the visitor control centers, process restricted area badge requirements and Wing Form 22's. "For the open house, that's just what it means; open house and everyone will be available to come on base without coming to the visitor control center to get a one-day pass," said Air Force Master Sgt. Tammy Miller, 673d Security Forces Squadron noncommissioned officer-in-charge of base access.

From the gates, roads will be coned off for the routes to the designated parking areas located on the flight line. Non-Department of Defense personnel coming to the open house will go through designated routes to parking areas, where they will be led through entry control points and screened with metal detectors for any of prohibited items.

Items prohibited on the flight line during the open house include; coolers, alcohol, backpacks, duffel bags, large purses, camelbacks, umbrellas, paint, balloons, large camera bags, bicycles, scooters, skates, skateboards and wagons. Individuals must wear a helmet and appropriate reflective gear when riding bicycles, scooters, skates, skateboards or motorcycles in other areas of the installation. Pets are also prohibited, but official service animals are authorized. Items that are strictly prohibited on the installation are illegal drugs, weapons, go-carts, military uniforms worn by non-military members, gang or motorcycle club affiliated colors or clothing.

After passing the initial screening, non-DoD personnel are directed to the ramp leading toward the parking areas. The vendors arriving to the ATOH have the same screening as well as other non-DoD personnel, but their vehicles are screened at the same time when they do their commercial vehicle requirements upon arriving at the Post Road Gate before coming onto JBER. "The individuals will be screened a second time when they come to our entry control points before entering the flight line," Centeno said. "The vendors also have a designated area for parking along Sijan Avenue." Once the open house is finished on July 26 and July 27, traffic patterns will be reversed due to the amount of drivers leaving JBER at the end of the events.

On Saturday and Sunday at approximately 3 p.m., access to the installation will no longer be authorized due to a change in the direction of traffic through the Richardson, Post Road and Boniface gates, Centeno said.

"Every gate is open to DoD card holders, but not every gate will get you where you need to go during the open house hours," Centeno said. "We will still have our normal day-to-day operations for anyone that is not going to the open house and are coming on the base for other reasons, they can do so," Miller said.