JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
As a 802nd Security Forces Squadron Defender at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Senior Airman Jorge Rivera has seen just about every type of visitor pass through the installation gates.
On a given Thursday or Friday morning, more than 7,000 people who pass through one of the JBSA-Lackland gates come to see either the traditional coin ceremony, or the basic military training graduation. Most are friendly people. Some even offer Rivera tacos or water to drink during the hotter summer months.
However, the visitors Rivera wants to see less of are the gate runners.
“For all (of) those thousands of people that pass through, all it takes is one person to come through illegally for it to be a really bad day,” Rivera said. “And I’ve lost count of the number of these gate runners. It’s a big problem for us.”
Rivera, who was recently honored as Air Education and Training Command Flight Level Airman of the Year, went to Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. earlier this month with Brig. Gen. Heather Pringle, 502nd Air Base Wing and JBSA commander, to testify about gate security issues. Rivera explained how the 802nd SFS addresses the dangers posed by gate runners. He also answered tough questions about how protective measures need to be improved.
“Our security forces are already doing a great job,” Rivera said. “But there’s always ways we can get better.”
Defenders like Rivera form the first line of defense at the installation gates against unpermitted motorists and violators on foot. While Rivera can stop most of these trespassers by simply motioning the driver to stop, he also has mounted barriers that reinforce his security position. Beyond these measures, Rivera has tough, iron pop-up barriers, at his disposal that take less than two seconds to activate.
“Even if a guy makes it inside, past the barriers, we’re prepared for that,” he added.
If a car makes it through the gate, Rivera and his fellow Defenders always have a car designated as a “chase vehicle” sitting next to the gate, ready to pursue any gate runner.
“We’ll follow them wherever we need to go and apprehend them safely,” said Rivera. “Some of them might just be lost (around the installation).”
While Rivera believes most gate runners are simply misinformed, some may have taken a wrong turn, or may misinterpret a hand signal from a guard as waving them through the gate. The gate runners that really stick out to Rivera are the ones who know what they are doing is wrong.
“Some individuals might be trying to flee external law enforcement by hiding on base, where they might think they have immunity – even though they don’t,” Rivera said. “Some people might have been barred from the installation or had their credentials revoked. Others might be drunk or under the influence of drugs.”
Rivera recalled a first-hand experience with these types of gate runners back in 2015.
One routine day, Rivera noticed a vehicle push past the guards at the Valley Hi gate at JBSA-Lackland. The vehicle swerving erratically sped off towards the intersection of Carswell and Truemper, just a few hundred feet from 802nd SFS headquarters. Once detained by security forces, Rivera’s team discovered the man was under the influence of narcotics.
“He barely avoided a huge crash,” Rivera said. “We were lucky that we were able to stop him before someone got hurt.”
Rivera handed the civilian over to Bexar County Sherriff’s office (BCSO) for criminal proceedings.
That sort of teamwork between security forces and external law enforcement is commonplace, Rivera continued, and is one of the best tools his team has at their disposal.
“If we can tell if a bad guy is incoming, that makes it easier for us to be ready,” Rivera noted.
Still, that sort of task can be tricky, even with outside intel – as one man proved later in 2016.
After robbing a local convenience store, one man barreled onto JBSA-Lackland after being pursued to the edge of base by BCSO.
“The guy got out of his car and started running through the base,” Rivera said. “So catching him seemed simple enough, but he suddenly changed out of his clothes, so the description the county gave us was no longer useful.”
Rivera’s team was able to catch the individual, thanks to a tactic that Rivera opted to keep confidential for security reasons.
For all this success, the 802nd SFS Defenders could always use a few boosts, Rivera noted.
“I’d like to see our gates have a better image, since we’re the first thing visitors see coming towards base,” Rivera said. “Our canopies are run down in some areas, and we could always use better gear and equipment, better chase vehicles.”
Despite its challenges, life at the gate has some brighter moments, too.
“There are some people who take the time to talk to you, to thank you, and to make your life easier,” Rivera said. “We see thousands of people so this might be hard to believe but we really do remember faces. There are some people who’ve given us water when its 100 degrees outside.”
These little victories can go a long way.
“Someone even brought us tacos one time,” Rivera said, “and we’re always happy to see that guy pull up to the gate.”