Foreigners' base access changes

Beginning Feb. 25, foreign nationals who rely on a common access card to enter naval bases must get permission to keep using it as a pass, according to rule changes through the Defense Biometric Identification System. The new requirement was issued Thursday in an administrative message. It comes amid heightened security measures in the wake of the deadly shooting by a Saudi flight student at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., on Dec. 6 that killed three sailors and wounded eight others. Foreign nationals, including dependents and studenets, will no longer have “implicit” access to installations, but must establish a purpose to gain entrance. About 5,200 people will be affected by the new requirement, Navy Installations Command spokesperson Stephen D. Clutter said in a Feb. 20 e-mail to Navy Times. Documents foreign nationals may use to establish access include international travel orders, visas, applicable international agreements or other official documentation, plus letters signed by commanding officers of the installations, he added. The new guidance includes new provisions for international military students and other foreign nationals seeking to travel for duty, work or leisure excursions to U.S. bases. The reform also proposes to limit off-base travel and mandate the continuous vetting of a student’s social media to identify anti-American or radical views. On Jan. 31, the Navy issued an initial round of changes, including barring military students and their families from owning or using personal firearms while in the U.S. Military leaders hope the changes supplement the initial screenings that allow international students to participate in U.S. military training programs. AF spokesperson, Lt. Col Uriah L. Orland, told Navy Times in an e-mail that the Army and Air Force have resumed full training of their students. Navy spokesperson Lt. Andriana Genualdi said Saudi flight students remain restricted to classroom training. (Source: Navy Times 02/20/20) https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/02/21/here-are-the-navys-new-rules-for-foreigners-seeking-to-enter-bases/