RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
The Randolph Air Force Base West Gate will implement new hours of operation starting Monday.
The new hours of operation for the West Gate, located at Third Street West and Farm to Market 78 near the medical clinic, will be Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This new schedule entails that the gate close four hours earlier than its current schedule.
"There are two primary reasons for the change in hours at the West Gate," said Maj. Robert Ford, 902nd Security Forces Squadron commander. "First, closing the West Gate at 6 p.m. will reduce manpower requirements on the midnight shift by two personnel and allow us to better utilize that manpower to protect the installation and reduce civilian overtime pay dollars."
By closing four hours sooner, manning requirements are reduced, while operational and training capabilities are increased. Along with reducing civilian overtime hours, the change will enable the support of overlapping Air Expeditionary Force rotations and help meet a Headquarters Air Education and Training Command directed force manning cut of Department of the Air Force Police/Guard personnel from 31 to 25.
"Second, the volume of traffic entering the West Gate daily after 6 p.m. is very light as verified by Defense Biometric Identification System scans over the last year," said Major Ford.
DBIDS scans, which are taken at the gate when military ID holders drive onto base, indicate that an average of 175 to 225 vehicles enter the West Gate between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on weekdays and even less on the weekends.
"Traffic will be minimal," said Staff Sgt. Marcus Bernard, NCO in charge of Police Services at the 902nd SFS.
The research conducted by the 902nd SFS also indicates that vehicle traffic of the Main Gate will increase an average of less than one vehicle per minute during this same time period.
"There will be minimal impact to drivers entering the installation," said Major Ford. "However, the biggest impact to drivers on base, as a result of this change, will be those that exit the installation via the West Gate after 6 p.m. Those personnel will need to exit via the Main Gate beginning on May 2."
Operating hours for the Main, East, and South Gates will stay the same. Starting May 2, all gate hours will be:
Main Gate: 24/7
East Gate: 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. (Inbound Only); 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Outbound Only) Monday to Friday
South Gate: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday; 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday
West Gate: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
The West Gate can still be opened for mission requirements on an as-need basis. If manning permits, clearance to have the gate open after operating hours must be requested for approval by security forces at least 72 hours prior to the requested date. To request approval, contact Staff Sgt. Marcus Bernard at (210) 381-6958.