One of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommendations aligns Henderson Hall and the Fort Myer Military Community into a joint base. The law arising from the commission’s recommendations directed Henderson Hall to transfer the installation management functions to Fort Myer. Many services will be realigned over the next few years, the first of those being law enforcement. This month law enforcement and emergency services responsibilities for the future joint base moves to the Army on Fort Myer.

Marine military police have been serving at Henderson Hall since 1942, when the base was created to support Marine Corps expansion in response to World War II. During the expansion, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps moved to the Arlington Navy Annex Building on Nov. 10, 1941, and the organization of a Headquarters and Service Company stood up March 1, 1942 to support the personnel at the headquarters. The Headquarters Battalion, HQMC, made up of Women Marine Reserves, was then organized in September 1943 to support a portion of the 2,658 women assigned. The Reserve Marines assigned to Henderson Hall were released in August 1946 and the Henderson Hall barracks were available for the billeting of male Marines.

“Marine Military Police will be leaving Henderson Hall as part of the BRAC,” said Gunnery Sgt. Roderuck Shriver, provost sergeant. “All law enforcement functions [will be] turned over to the Army Military Police during October.”

October will be a transition period where Marines will shadow Soldiers and contract guards on law enforcement missions throughout Henderson Hall and at the gates.

Chenega Security, a contracting firm presently supporting access control on Fort Myer has also augmented the Marine military police on Henderson Hall gates for the past year. By mid-October the Marines on the gates will be replaced entirely by the Chenega contract guards. In addition, as the mission requires, Army military police may be assisting the contracted security guards in conducting identification and vehicle inspections. As part of the random anti-terrorism measures, military working dogs will also be seen periodically at the gates.

During the transition, Army military police will take over the Criminal Investigation Division, traffic management office and desk sergeant responsibilities. Myer military police will handle disputes taking place on Henderson Hall and respond as the law enforcement agency in case of an emergency.

DoD vehicle decals will be issued by an Army desk clerk. However, the registration process remains the same. Information required to register a vehicle include: a military ID, driver’s license, vehicle registration, vehicle insurance which meets Virginia state requirements, safety inspection documentation, and a driver improvement card for those personnel who are 26 years old and younger. Only those personnel listed in the installation motor vehicle registration order will be issued a DoD decal. All other personnel will be issued a Henderson Hall base indicator.

Congress established the 2005 BRAC to ensure the integrity of the base closure and realignment process. The Commission was created to provide an objective, thorough, accurate, and non-partisan review and analysis, through a process determined by law, of the list of bases and military installations which the Department of Defense has recommended be closed or realigned. The DoD list of recommendations was formally presented to the BRAC Commission on May 13th, 2005.

Henderson Hall is one of 12 military installations designated for realignment as a joint base, according to the initiative passed by the BRAC 2005 Commission. The specific language directed the relocating of installation management functions to Fort Myer, establishing Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

The official designation of the joint base as Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall is currently scheduled for Oct. 1 2007. The anticipated physical transfer of Henderson Hall real property to the Fort Myer Military Community is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 1, 2008.