Action Line 80107 - Fitness Center Published March 10, 2008 By Anonymous 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- Complaint: I too would like to voice a concern regarding unauthorized usage of our facilities by personnel who have no affiliation to the TAF/USAF/AAFES. A main issue that concerns me is use of the fitness center. I understand that TAF and USAF personnel can use the facility, but I have repeatedly seen non TAF/USAF/AAFES Turkish personnel in there. Especially multiple individuals that I know are contractors that merely come on base to supply items, but they don't work here. I do not think it is fair that they use our facilities, when they only come on base to take our money. And finally, I was quite perturbed at the Harlem Globetrotter's USO event when I saw multiple US families turned away at the door because the limit of personnel attending the event was met. This only disturbed me when I noticed the amount of non TAF/USAF/AAFES affiliated individuals at the event that took the places of eligible USAF personnel. This USO event was put together for USAF personnel & their families, and I don't understand how this can go on, with people looking the other way. I'm sorry for ranting, and I know that we must share our facilities because this isn't a US installation, but I hate to see deserving people turned away/denied things because someone was looking the other way. Response: Thank you for taking the time to write with your concerns. We all want to ensure that our facilities are utilized by authorized personnel only. Rather than "looking the other way" the Fitness Center Staff routinely conducts ID checks to ensure people entering the facility are authorized to be there per AF instructions. In fact, the staff has periodically turned away both Turkish and American individuals who could not produce an ID proving they are authorized to use the facility. Unfortunately we are unable to conduct ID checks on a continual basis so I realize it is possible people who shouldn't be there may on occasion enter the fitness center. If you see someone in the facility who you think shouldn't be there, I ask your help in identifying these people to our staff. They will take the appropriate action and remove them from the facility if they are not authorized to be there. Nobody is looking the other way; we just need your help to identify them. I addressed concerns with the Harlem Globetrotters show in a previous Action Line and rather than repeating that response please view it online, I just checked and its still there. I offer that the non TAF/USAF/AAFES people in attendance were most likely escorted by Airmen and therefore either dependents or guests. The TAF members and their families in attendance were my guests and I can assure you that list of individuals was very small. Again, thank you for being an active part of our force protection program and for giving me the opportunity to address your concerns.