Travis tests new E-Gatekeeper program

  • Published
  • By Tyler Grimes
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  A new, online program to streamline the approval of official visitors and certain sponsored guests such as distinguished visitors, staff assistance visitors, inspector, auditors and trainers at Travis will begin a 90-day test phase April 2.

The intention of Air Mobility Command's E-Gatekeeper program is to increase efficiency by reducing the amount of time needed to process visitor requests, said Dan Johnson, 60th Wing Plans chief of exercises and evaluations and wing gatekeeper.

"Before, it would take lots of different emails traveling back and forth all over the place," Johnson said. "With this new, automated program, it's basically one entry, one click and it's automatically sent to all the players at the same time."

While the Gatekeeper system is expected to make approving visitors more efficient at Travis, it also will expedite the process at AMC as well, said Maj. Elizabeth Taillon, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., AMC gatekeeper.

"With the electronic tool, there are auto-emails that save time from the many emails that are generally written back and forth between visiting agencies, installation gatekeepers and the AMC gatekeeper," Taillon said. "The tracking mechanism within the E-Gatekeeper tool is one log that all can view as opposed to a log being maintained at each of the installations."

Given the Air Force's renewed focus on modernization and efficiency, AMC is leading the way with this program, Johnson said.

"(AMC) is trying to find a way that's more effective and efficient, because it impacts all of us in the command," he said. "It's one of the systems that will save time for the command itself because they monitor all of the bases' Gatekeeper programs."

The program seems to be well-received at the two other bases, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., and Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., respectively.

"The electronic system has vastly improved the gatekeeper process by saving time and improving communication AMC-wide," said Bud Verdi, Grand Forks AFB, 319th Air Base Wing director of staff.

"I'm extremely excited about the automation of Gatekeeper," said Dave Creswell, MacDill AFB, 6th AMW chief of exercises and inspections. "This new program will be great value-added for the wing."

For visitors to Travis, the program has benefits other than being a time-saver, Johnson said.

"A couple of people that have used it so far have commented that this is a much simpler and easier process to follow," he said.

To use the E-Gatekeeper program, visit the Travis SharePoint page, click on the Site Navigation tab, scroll down to the TAFB Gatekeeper Request and select the E-Gatekeeper Site link. From there, follow the prompts to choose the type of visit, the desired dates of visitation and complete the questionnaire with the correct information.

To provide feedback about the E-Gatekeeper process, scroll to the support tab on the E-Gatekeeper site and select Pilot Survey.

For more information about the E-Gatekeeper program call Dan Johnson at 424-4560.