39 SFS get gate passes out quickly, efficiently

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Amber Russell
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Shortly before the new year, floods of e-mails were disseminated base-wide. Incirlik military members, families and civilian personnel spoke of trying to bypass the mass crowd rumored to begin taking over an office in building 833. 

With more than 5,000 American personnel on base, the five-man 39th Security Forces Squadron Pass and Registration office had their hands full issuing new gate passes in just over two months. 

"This is my first experience with base-pass renewal, but I know we're ahead of the game compared to last year," said Tech Sgt. Liliana Zamora, 39th Security Forces Squadron non commissioned officer in charge of Pass and Registration. "Though we have a large personnel count, we're doing what we can in a short amount of time to accommodate everyone." 

Pass and Registration extended their hours to manage with the rush. They're open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. five days a week. 

"We weren't able to get the new cardstock for the passes until Jan. 14, so early issue started Jan. 19. We've been pushing it since," said Sergeant Zamora. 

To help aid the smooth flow of getting the new gate passes out to personnel, e-mails with the required documents attached were sent out base-wide. This made it easier for personnel to fill the paperwork out and package their required documents beforehand, so they just had to drop it all off at Pass and Registration. 

This large gate pass issuance is an important factor to the Turkish Air Force. Each year, hundreds of military members and civilian contractors process in and out of the base, and the end-of-year pass renewals keep checks and balances up to date. 

Temporary-duty members were affected by the renewal, but children under 12 aren't required to have a gate pass. 

"Your gate pass expires on either your date expected to return from overseas or the New Year, whichever comes first," said Airman 1st Class Kenya Anderson, 39 SFS Pass and Registration clerk. "So, some temporary duty members and some newly arrived permanent party are still walking the base with temporary I.D.s." 

Some Incirlik members show a little impatience when it comes to receiving their gate passes. 

"It has to be understood that we're a small shop dealing with applications for the entire base," said Airman Anderson. "We're trying to accommodate everyone as quickly and conveniently as we can." 

In order to process the new gate pass, Incirlik members must bring copies of their North Atlantic Treaty Organization and permanent change of station orders, to include any extension paperwork and their completed pass application. Active-duty members must also bring a copy of the front and back of their military I.D. Family members must bring a copy of their passport picture page and red "giris" stamp page, a copy of their residency permit picture page and expiration page, and one copy of the front and back of their I.D. card and their sponsor's I.D. 

"The Incirlik team needs to get in before March 12 which is the cut-off date," said Sergeant Zamora. "Or they are going to be stuck on base for a while."