New entry security at Ft Polk

New entrance requirements have recently been put in place at Ft. Polk, so you need to plan ahead. It used to be sufficient to show your driver's license for entry. Now you need to get out of your vehicle, take your registration, insurance, and driver's license in a building outside the gate, and get a day pass. It is still screwed up, since they said you need an escort, but they thought I was a contractor.

I told the GL rep about my troubles trying to get inside the gate, and she was going to talk to the Provost to iron out visitor issues. They certainly can't escort all the GL visitors. If you plan to preview or pickup at Ft Polk, be sure to ask what the current entry procedures are, and plan extra time to go through them. They could go to an approved roster provided by GL the day before as other bases have, but I'm not sure.

I was there last week picking up two M105's. I stopped at the check in building with all my info and told them I was picking up two trailers from the GL site, they gave me a day pass and said to have a good day. It all went very smooth. Their check in was just like all the other bases I've ever visited. The trailers and I made it back to Florida with no problems by the way.

That's the way it should be, but they sure were confused this morning. Probably just the steep side of the learning curve of a new system.

That system was in place when I left the army after being stationed at Polk from 2003-2007. I was an MP so I know it was defently was in place some time in 2006. I think your problem was the DA police that they have working there, most are not all that smart. Hopfuly they stopped hiring criminals to man the gates and the check in points...

Dave

i too was stationes at polk from 04-07. when i arrived, a drivers license, or in my case, military id was sufficient. went to the sandbox for a year, got back to find a fence being erected around the perimiter (there wasnt around most of it). and you now had to get a pass and all this other junk for outsiders to get in. it was probably because 4/10 was bitchin about how lax security was when they moved in and 2nd all criminal regiment moved out

variations

Here at Ft. Carson and Peterson AFB, they advise the public repeatedly that they vary what they do at the gates on purpose. Sometimes they are checking under the vehicles with the mirrors on long handles, and you have to open up every; door, the hood, glove box, center console and show all your papers, sometimes, you just show your paperwork (registration, driver license, proof of insurance) out the window and get waived thru. It's all good. If I am going on base, I clean the vehicle out, like toolboxes, gym bag, etc. to make their job easier when they are looking thru the vehicle.

How does one declare a firearm and/or check it at the gate entrance?

I'm driving 500 miles up and 500 miles back to pick up a deuce at fort sill and I really don't want to travel unarmed.

being a civvie, you probably cant. check with ft. sill pr dept. or with provost marshall or just dont declare it

The big "NO FIREARMS" sign at every entrance pretty well covers it.

at fort lewis weve been required to get teh day pass for awhile its faster now that im in the system and they just pop up my file

rorybellows said:

being a civvie, you probably cant. check with ft. sill pr dept. or with provost marshall or just dont declare it

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I really don't want to try that if they're searching cars as was mentioned above.

Guess I'll call and ask. Of course, just asking will probably get me on some sort of list...

If I had one of those old POS 1890s Mosin revolvers, I really wouldn't feel bad about stashing it in a toilet at a gas station. If some crackhead steals it, I'm only out 60 bucks...

I think we are both correct

Hauling4you said:

That system was in place when I left the army after being stationed at Polk from 2003-2007. I was an MP so I know it was defently was in place some time in 2006. I think your problem was the DA police that they have working there, most are not all that smart. Hopfuly they stopped hiring criminals to man the gates and the check in points...

Dave

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In 2004, the Provost Marsall institued new access controls requiring a day pass that they handed to you at the gate, but they must have been relaxed by the time I started visiting the site about a year ago. As of 4/1/10, the criteria has been tightened to require a verifiable reason for access. Check this link:
Post access criteria changes, takes effect - Fort Polk, LA - Fort Polk Guardian

"A regulation signed into effect Feb. 22 [2010] states that all personnel entering the installation with a visitor pass must have a valid reason for access.
Enforcement of this regulation began April 1 [2010].
Reasons for access will be validated by one of the following methods:
• Previously identified by access roster provided to the Directorate of Emergency Services
• Personal escort by an authorized resident or employee
• Telephonic verification at point of access (only available at Visitors Center; access control point 1 –– main gate; ACP 4 –– Louisiana Avenue and La. Hwy 10; and ACP 7 –– K Avenue)."

Don't know how that will work for GL access, since it sometimes takes hours for GL to return my call. A couple of times, there was only one GL employee on site.

I dont know about the rest of the forts, but it is typical for Polk. We get a new CG, lets tighten security... OK its "Safe" now, everyone can stop doing there job again... O no someone ramed the main gate, quick find a PVT and blame him for the lax security at the gates... OK its safe again, backing to being lost... O no taxi's are bringing in underaged girls to "Sell" at the barracks... Why are you not searching vechicles, quick blame someone...

Over and over, and over again that is all I ever heard and saw, I'm glad I left for Iraq from that hole in the ground... Twice...

I took what I saw and learned and get rid of the rest...

Dave

I was at Ft Polk today loading out my usual pile of overpriced crap. DRMO pickups now have to be done through the commercial vehicle gate from Hwy 28. Make sure you have registration, insurance, i.d., your GL paperwork, and Linda and Maxine's names and cell numbers! The new gate structure there is finished, up to 4 lanes of inspection.

TexAndy said:

How does one declare a firearm and/or check it at the gate entrance?

I'm driving 500 miles up and 500 miles back to pick up a deuce at fort sill and I really don't want to travel unarmed.

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Leave the gun take the knoli

TexAndy said:

How does one declare a firearm and/or check it at the gate entrance?

I'm driving 500 miles up and 500 miles back to pick up a deuce at fort sill and I really don't want to travel unarmed.

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It really isn't worth trying to sneak a gun onto base, bring a baseball bat, balls and a few gloves.. Aluminum works better

I hate Ft Polk!!!! Spent to much time there in the 90's after 2 all criminal regiment moved in.. had to ETS to PCS from Polk. Like I told a group of Lt's in the 2ACR, " i don't want to deploy with you guys, since they (2ACR) like to shoot their own (see gulf war). That didn't make me any friends that day LOL
I feel after I'm done in APG, i'll either be back at polk or over in korea.. hard choices

As much as I used to violate the weapons policy on military posts I was stationed at that was before they started the tight security.

I hate to travel unarmed too......but if you get caught it is a Federal crime and you will have to appear before a Federal magistrate.....most likely one with no sense of humor. Jail time is a real possibility.

I would suggest that you find a local gun store and ask if you can leave it with them while you do your pickup.

Or maybe there is a SS member close by that would baby sit it for you.

Do not attempt to take a firarm on any federal installation to include the VA (they have federal police as well). Every base I've been on (literally dozens of all 5 branches), may, repeat may, give an civilian a free bee if the gun is found, which is very likely. By free bee, I mean you don't get a ticket, don't permenantly lose the firearm, don't see the magistrate. You will be asked to leave your vehicle, the firearm will be temporarily confiscated and your "record" will be checked. If no problem, they'll ask you to leave and come back without the firearm. There are no second chances.

Military, active and retired, follow different rules. Each base is slightly different. They are usually less restrictive especially during hunting season, that being said, unload and lock up. A firearm held by a civilian attempting to get on base no matter the reason can get you barred from the base permenantly as well as a host of extremely unpleasant legal problems. In some cases your name will end up on a list which is kept at all base entry points and you'll never get on that base, period.

Sorry to sound doom and gloom but this is one very intolerant issue. I'd hate to see someone lose out because they didn't know what the rules were.

Final point..most bases are, in some manner, self policed. MP's, SP's, SF, Federal Police, or even contractors. What they say is the Law. What happens outside the gate, what Laws are outside the gate are irrelevant. You can't win with an argument of what state Law says.

NDT said:

I was at Ft Polk today loading out my usual pile of overpriced crap. DRMO pickups now have to be done through the commercial vehicle gate from Hwy 28. Make sure you have registration, insurance, i.d., your GL paperwork, and Linda and Maxine's names and cell numbers! The new gate structure there is finished, up to 4 lanes of inspection.

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NDT, I think they may have changed things up again. I went to Polk today to pick up some tires and rims for maddawg308 and drove up to the commercial gate off Hwy 28 ( I think this is the gate that is actually on either Hwy 468 or Hwy 184). I was told I needed to go to the North Fort entrance off Hwy 469. If you are coming from Alexandria, that gate is 2 or 3 miles closer than the gate off of Hwy 468/184/28.

I hope this helps anyone who is going there soon. I got a bit confused and ended up at DRMO right at 11:30. Luckily, Linda was operating the forklift, and even though it was officially lunch time, she loaded me right up and I was on my way before 12:00.

LC