Technology powers ID check procedure

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Madelyn Brown
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Airmen of the 60th Security Forces Squadron have a new tool in their arsenal to assist with base access and the protection of personnel and resources from those with nefarious intent.

Travis began using the Defense Biometric Identification System in 2010. DBIDS is a physical access control system employed at numerous DOD installation to validate the identity and authenticity of DOD credential used to access the installation.

DBIDS interfaces with the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, said Senior Master Sgt. Chad Bickley, 60th Security Forces Squadron operations superintendent. Defenders no longer rely solely on a physical inspection to verify credentials.

DBIDS also produces base passes for individuals who do not have the authority to enter the base without a sponsor. Prior to obtaining a base pass, a person's criminal history is checked to ensure there are no base access disqualifiers. In 2013, Security Forces screened approximately 112,000 personnel which consisted of contractors, vendors and visitors.

According to Bickley, DOD card holders who have been barred or on a driving suspension from any DOD installation are entered into the system and flagged by DBIDS if they attempt to enter the installation.

"This technology eliminates the laborious task of memorizing hundreds of names on a roster and ensures instant detection," he said.

Most recently, the system is being tested to interface with the National Crime Information Center. This interface allows all persons, DOD and otherwise, to be detected if the person has outstanding warrants.

Bickley provides the hypothetical example:

An active duty member receives a speeding ticket while driving through Oklahoma and fails to appear in court, which is a felony. The member's thought process is he or she will never return to Oklahoma and avoid the consequences. However, with the developed integrated technology of DBIDS, that felony will now appear when the identification card is scanned upon installation entry.

"These test phases are creating a real-world impact and enhancing base security," Bickley said. "We've had seven individuals with warrants that have approached the gate and been flagged. With more than 50,000 active duty, Reservists, government service civilians, retirees and dependents on Travis or within the local areas, those numbers will likely rise."

In the future, there are plans for DBIDS to interface with other FBI databases, including the National Sex Offender Registry and Terrorist Screening Database, as well as data from local law enforcement agencies.

"Our mission as defenders is to protect this base, both the personnel and resources assigned," Bickley said. "With that awesome responsibility in hand, any tool that enhances our force protection detection capability, especially on our front lines, is a plus to overall security at Travis Air Force Base."

The 60th SFS commander reflected this sentiment.

"This technology will definitely be a huge enabler for our defenders," said Maj. Jearl Allman. "It will provide better visibility on those individuals who may pose a threat to our community and our mission here on Travis."