JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Armed forces members may face severe punishment if they are spotted at a few local businesses that are off-limits, but they also have a responsibility to stay away from areas with suspicious activity and report it wherever they are.
"We rely on our members to make good decisions and use their basic instincts when they sense trouble," Mance Clark, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph antiterrorism officer, said.
Military members are forbidden to enter the Cracker Box Palace, Voodoo Tattoo Parlor, Players Club of San Antonio and Planet K, according to a JBSA memorandum from last June.
Planet K, a smoking paraphernalia shop with multiple stores in San Antonio alone, is prohibited at all locations in Bexar, Atascosa, Wilson, Guadalupe, Comal, Kendall, Medina and Bandera counties.
These establishments were placed off-limits by the San Antonio Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board starting in 1997 because they featured conditions such as underage buying of alcohol, drug trafficking, sexual solicitation or gang presence that endangered the "health, morale and welfare" of military members, Clark said.
However, criminal activity can happen anywhere, so people must keep their eyes and ears open at all times.
"We all must be proactive and look out for each other," Clark said. "When traveling to a new place, whether it's a new bar or restaurant, do your homework: Search the Internet for reviews, check social media sites for blogs, or ask family and friends about their experiences at that place."
A business' outside appearance can often reveal its identity in terms of safety, but some have been known for their curbside appeal to mask shadier affairs, which reinforces the need for them to be researched as much as possible, Clark added.
Members should take extra caution if they decide to visit bars or lounges, Master Sgt. Charlene Basallote, JBSA-Randolph Antiterrorism Office NCO in charge, said. Several in the city have ties or affiliations with gangs; one is owned by the Mexikanemi, a Texas Mexican mafia formed in the early 1980s known for extortion, narcotics trafficking and murder.
For local crime statistics and records, visit the San Antonio Police Department website at www.sanantonio.gov/SAPD/CrimeandCallInformation.aspx or call their non-emergency number at 207-7273.
"Participating in illegal activities is a career-ender," Clark said. "Never get involved, and if you witness or sense something that doesn't seem right, something that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, report it."
To report suspicious or unusual activity, call 652-5700 or 652-5509 for JBSA-Randolph; 671-3030 or 671-2018 for JBSA-Lackland; and 221-2244 or 221-2222 for JBSA-Fort Sam Houston.
For emergencies, call 911.