The 96th Security Forces Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base will begin conducting 100 percent identification checks for all individuals accessing the installation starting in May.

• Visitors without a Department of Defense (DOD) issued ID card will be required to obtain a visitor pass.

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Geraghty, 96th Test Wing commander, stated, “Our current security and information environment requires us to make this policy change. We’re committed to safeguarding Eglin’s vital national resources.”

Visitor passes can be sponsored by uniformed service members, their dependents over the age of 16, DOD employees, and retirees. These passes will be available at the East Gate and West Gate visitor control centers (VCCs) until the new Air Force Armament Museum VCC opens in May.

• To minimize traffic congestion at the gates, individuals are encouraged to start obtaining their visitor passes now.

Passes are good for up to 60 days, according to Eglin. However, if a visitor pass is required for more than 60 days, a commander’s approval is needed and can then be issued for up to a year except for retirees.

Retirees will need to renew their visitor’s pass every 60 days. Passes should be shredded or turned back into the VCC when no longer needed.

In addition to visitor passes, individuals can also process their REAL IDs into the Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) at the VCCs. DBIDS is a networked database system designed to easily verify access authorization for individuals entering military installations.

Registering a REAL ID in DBIDS will help alleviate gate congestion if an ID card holder forgets their card at home or in a CAC reader. Retirees can also use their registered REAL ID to access the base if they lose their military ID or if it has expired.

For further information regarding the new access procedures, contact the 96th Test Wing Public Affairs Office at 850-882-3931.