Civilian Gate Guards

[Guest Thriller]

Well, just when you think you've seen it all...

Yesterday, I was driving on base. As I pulled up to the gate, I saw a man with facial hair (a mustache out of regs with the military) wearing BDUs. He looked like an overweight, beer belly, slug. I couldn't believe my eyes! This guy was in the AF BDU with the service tape saying Military Civilian or something like that.

Now, I can understand maybe why civ's would need to wear BDU's in forward operating areas...but here in the states? Come on!

WTF is our government thinking!

This just makes us look bad. I think that if they are going to wear our uniform...they better damn well be clean-shaven and in weight standards.

Just my 2

Peace,

THRILLER

[ 11. November 2005, 06:39: Message edited by: Thriller ]

[Toro]

I was Eglin over the weekend and saw this. Big fat civilian woman with the tape you're describing - I seem to remember it saying something about DoD. No idea why they're wearing BDUs - we have civilian gate guards at Seymour, but they're from a civilian contracted company and wear security-guard-looking uniforms.

[Buddy Spike]

Originally posted by Toro:

I was Eglin over the weekend and saw this. Big fat civilian woman with the tape you're describing - I seem to remember it saying something about DoD. No idea why they're wearing BDUs - we have civilian gate guards at Seymour, but they're from a civilian contracted company and wear security-guard-looking uniforms.

We have big fat Navy women at our gate sometimes.

[Mambo]

I've been told that the civilian gate guards must maintain the same physical fitness standards that AD does...I don't see how this is possible with some of the geriatric whales I've seen "guarding" the LR gates. There about as effective as a Wal-Mart greeter.

[Hacker]

The guards at Moody are from "USProtect" and wear blue rent-a-cop uniforms.

They are frequently augmented by standard SPs, though.

[Guest Thriller]

With our SF brothers being tasked with long deployments, I understand the need for civilian gate guards. And as long as it helps out the SF personnel with their already hectic lives, then I'll support it.

Furthermore, I’m sure that there are some stellar civilians out there who are in shape and would be effective. It just seems to me like the military is either not setting standards for these civilian contract agencies or they are just not enforcing it.

It's just plane embarrassing when you see some lard a** at our front gates. I feel sorry for the SF folks who have to stand next to them.

Plain embarrassing! What are the Wing/CC's thinking? I'm sure they can throw their weight around to at least get some decent looking guards huh…or at the least, enforce some friggen standards!

Peace,

THRILLER

[Guest lovelacm]

There are some fantastic civi-guards here at Kirtland.. at least those running the Truman Gate. No, they're not all in "athletic form," but they're professional, courteous, and careful about what they check and how thorough they are.

Y'all have a wonderful Veterans Day.

Cheers!

Linda

[Guest dcamp]

Maybe they think if the civilians are wearing the same BDU's as the airmen, that we will start demending a new and improved BDU for ourselves...ha ha just a thought

[Zippy]

They could just look fatter then normal because they are wearing a vest underneath the blouses.

[Guest TomandFle]

One time I pulled up to the Hanscom gate, and this guy wearing a blue rent-a-cop outfit got mad at me for having a small crack near the bottom of my windshield. He was a d!ck. I think he was fat too.

[Guest Thriller]

Originally posted by Zippy:

They could just look fatter then normal because they are wearing a vest underneath the blouses.

This explains the double chin that the guy had :rolleyes:

Peace,

THRILLER

[ 11. November 2005, 10:59: Message edited by: Thriller ]

[backseatdriver]

Originally posted by Toro:

I was Eglin over the weekend and saw this. Big fat civilian woman with the tape you're describing - I seem to remember it saying something about DoD.

The Eglin guys used to wear the rent-a-cop uniform as well, and switched to BDUs a few months ago. In addition, they salute you when you come through the gate, which I always find awkward.

[GBock]

Here in Japan we have foreign national (Japanese) gate guards who wear a blue rent-a-cop uniforms and the SF beret. They also salute which is kinda weird seeing that they aren't military of any country.

[Guest kottlows]

I ran into the same, fat-assed civilian guards at Wright Patt. last time I was there. I agree, it's shameful to have them at our gates. I would honestly rather pull 4-hour augmentee duty at the gates once every month or so like we used to do here at Scott than see those fools represent our base and AF to everyone driving through the gates. I'm just glad we don't have any of those guys here yet. Someone at AMC is using their cranium.

-WARHAWK-

[Champ Kind]

Originally posted by Warhawk:

I would honestly rather pull 4-hour augmentee duty at the gates once every month or so like we used to do here at Scott than see those fools represent our base and AF to everyone driving through the gates.

Ehhh.... I don't know about all of that now.... :rolleyes:

[F16Deuce]

Originally posted by backseatdriver:

The Eglin guys used to wear the rent-a-cop uniform as well, and switched to BDUs a few months ago. In addition, they salute you when you come through the gate, which I always find awkward.

That's kind of seeing as they're civilians.

The rent-a-cops here at Nellis all wear their rent-a-cop attire. That'd be kind of wierd having rent-a-cops in BDU's.

[Guest shawty]

I didn't hear one.

No but honestly, I think that the guards should have physical standards set and enforced. I really don't see why the AF side of it has standards, "Fit to Fight" but then the people who are standing in those same positions on the civilian side of it don't. Comes across as a common sense question to me.

Shawty

[BossHogg]

I don't mean to spread any reality to this thread; but lets put things in perspective.

1. Referring to SF as brothers? I don't know if you have been deployed or not, but at the locations I have been at -- there are two groups trying to ruin your career, Security Forces and Al Qeada -- I would take my chances with Al Qeada.

2. What does it matter who is checking the gate? If you are a terrorist are you really going to drive up to the main gate like it is McDonald's or something? I mean do you honestly feel safer that there is a gate and they thoroughly (I use this loosely) check 1 out of every 100 cars anyways? It falls under the same neanderthal logic that the airports use. We will just hire more people to stand around and thoroughly check every 90 year old grandma that failed the metal detector because of the steel socket in her hip. IE lets carry on the facade that we have more security, when in reality we only have more harrassment.

3. I kind of like the tubby old guys, they are smiling each morning, and I get a consistent response each time I go through the gate. You never know what your going to get with regular SF's. Some mornings I could be dressed up in full Arab head dress and a fake beard to my ankles and they wouldn't check my ID. On mornings that I am in a hurry they stop just shy of a full cavity search.

4. Do I really care what they look like? I put this in the same category of the 90-10 rule. (For those that don't know yet, but soon will find out. 90% of the work done by 10% of the people.) It is always the slack ass that has abso(@(*lutely nothing else to do at his job; that he goes out of his way to make other people miserable at doing theirs. (Any similarity to SF's in the above remark is strictly coincidental.) So, I honestly haven't noticed, or let alone ask my smiling guard to step on the scale for me. I have real things to worry about.

[Guest thebronze]

I don't mean to spread any reality to this thread; but lets put things in perspective.

1. Referring to SF as brothers? I don't know if you have been deployed or not, but at the locations I have been at -- there are two groups trying to ruin your career, Security Forces and Al Qeada -- I would take my chances with Al Qeada.

2. What does it matter who is checking the gate? If you are a terrorist are you really going to drive up to the main gate like it is McDonald's or something? I mean do you honestly feel safer that there is a gate and they thoroughly (I use this loosely) check 1 out of every 100 cars anyways? It falls under the same neanderthal logic that the airports use. We will just hire more people to stand around and thoroughly check every 90 year old grandma that failed the metal detector because of the steel socket in her hip. IE lets carry on the facade that we have more security, when in reality we only have more harrassment.

3. I kind of like the tubby old guys, they are smiling each morning, and I get a consistent response each time I go through the gate. You never know what your going to get with regular SF's. Some mornings I could be dressed up in full Arab head dress and a fake beard to my ankles and they wouldn't check my ID. On mornings that I am in a hurry they stop just shy of a full cavity search.

4. Do I really care what they look like? I put this in the same category of the 90-10 rule. (For those that don't know yet, but soon will find out. 90% of the work done by 10% of the people.) It is always the slack ass that has abso(@(*lutely nothing else to do at his job; that he goes out of his way to make other people miserable at doing theirs. (Any similarity to SF's in the above remark is strictly coincidental.) So, I honestly haven't noticed, or let alone ask my smiling guard to step on the scale for me. I have real things to worry about.

Exactly!!!!

+1

[GSXR6Racer]

2

[XL0901]

REVIVAL!!

Had my first experience with a saluting civ gate guard today. I started to pop a return salute and realized half way that this was kinda strange. It ended being a half assed mess. So I guess my question is what is the proper response to these awkward salutes. I'n not one to leave a guy hanging but it just seems so bas-akwards to me.

[Guest Form 8]

If he's civilian he doesn't owe you a salute.

[XL0901]

If he's civilian he doesn't owe you a salute.

Right...but they do it anyway. Wondering how others are handling this.

[Guest Form 8]

Salute back.

[XL0901]

I'm not one to leave a guy hanging...