MA3 Tamara Alexander checks the ID card for a Pax River employee at Gate 2 Tuesday. Working conditions at the time: 36 degrees with wind and rain.
The Police Department offers tips to Pax River employees and service members to help with traffic flow through the gates during the morning and noon rush hours.
When driving on board the Naval Air Station, remember to:
1. Have your ID card out of the carrier and ready for display when approaching the sentry. The sentry must see the ID by itself. In the carrier, lights may produce a glare, which could delay access until sentry can positively verify identification.
2. When requested, surrender an expired ID to the sentry or, if needed, render the ID to verify identification. If your ID card is expired or getting close to expiration, take it to the pass office and have it updated.
3. Roll down the window when entering the installation. Spotlights often produce a reflection from a rolled up window making it difficult for the sentry to verify ID's accurately.
4. Turn off lights when approaching the gates. This temporarily disrupts vision, and it sometimes takes a few seconds before the sentry’s vision is fully restored to verify identification.
5. Please approach the sentry slowly. Sentries visually check for vehicle decals and a fast approach sometimes delays access until the decals are located and verified.
6. Cell phone use continues to be a problem. Please refrain from using them when entering the station as well as while driving aboard the installation.
7. Pull right up to the sentry and come to a complete stop. The sentry needs to visually check the ID and the individual before granting access. Do not stop a few feet back from where the sentry is standing and expect to be waived through just because you are holding an identification card out of the window.
8. Check the second lane. When traffic is backed up, sentries open the second lane and often have to walk out to alert vehicle operators to use that lane. The second lanes are always open during high traffic times -- in the morning from 6 to 8:30 and during the lunch hour from 11:30 a.m. to1 p.m.
9. If the sentry directs you to pull to the side of the road do so. He or she is directing you to the off to the side to keep traffic moving steadily and will be with you to assist in any way possible.
10. If you are operating a motorcycle, have your helmet face shield up before stopping in front of the gate sentry for identification verification.
11. Employees with temporary passes must have some form of photo identification out and ready for display when approaching the sentry.
12. Please ask pass office employees for directions to destination areas before entering the installation. If you need directions from the sentry, pull to the side and out of the direct flow of traffic. The sentry will assist you.
Remember: Be patient and courteous to the sentries. Day in and day out, no matter what the weather — snow, rain, windy, cold, hot — these Pax Pros provide a very important service. They keep Pax River service members, their families and employees safe, and they do an outstanding job.
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