Fort Bliss changes gate access policy through Tuesday morning

Two gates restricted to military ID cardholders; 4 key gates stay open to public
By David Burge / El Paso Times
Posted: 08/31/2014 11:57:07 AM MDT


FORT BLISS >> Motorists wanting access to Fort Bliss for the rest of the Labor Day holiday weekend may have to make some adjustments to which gates they use and allow a little extra time to get onto the installation.


Two gates to Fort Bliss that have been open to civilian traffic will be restricted to individuals with Department of Defense identification through 5 a.m. Tuesday, post officials announced Sunday.


The Biggs main gate and Sergeant Major North gate will only be open to people with Department of Defense identification cards, including soldiers, family members and civilian employees at the installation, until Tuesday morning. Other motorists coming to those gates will be directed to go to gates still open to civilian traffic.


Motorists were also reminded that they and all occupants are subject to random searches and inspections, which has always been the policy.


Four key gates remain open to everyone, however, and provide access to different areas of the post.
The changes are the "results of several recent security assessments and our constant concern for the safety of military members, families, employees and civilians," according to a press release.


No specific threats or incidents were cited in the announcement. But military installations like Fort Hood have been hit with several high-profile active-shooter incidents in recent years, and there was a report last week by a conservative watchdog group, Judicial Watch, which alleges that ISIS terrorists are present in Juárez and are planning attacks on U.S. soil.


The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said that they were "unaware of any specific, credible threats to the U.S. homeland" from terror group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.


All Department of Defense ID cardholders and civilians possessing a valid state-issued driver's license may still access Fort Bliss through the Cassidy, Buffalo Soldier (formerly Robert E. Lee), Fred Wilson and Old Ironsides (formerly known as Global Reach) gates.


The Pershing, IBCT-North and Sheridan gates will remain closed through the weekend to all traffic. Other gates, such as Constitution, are normally closed on the weekends and nonduty hours anyway.


The gates that remain open to the public provide access to virtually all of the installation.


The Cassidy and Buffalo Soldier gates provide entry to the older part of Fort Bliss, now called West Bliss, which houses the Garrison Command and many civilian-run support agencies like Morale, Welfare and Recreation. The Fred Wilson gate provides access to William Beaumont Army Medical Center.


The Old Ironsides gate provides access to East Bliss, including the 1st Armored Division headquarters, several brigades and tenants like Joint Task Force North, which lends Department of Defense support to counter-narcotics efforts.


"Other than random inspections, there shouldn't be an inconvenience to those visiting," read a statement issued to further explain the initial announcement.


Although the new restrictions expire at 5 a.m. Tuesday, after the Labor Day weekend, the post press release also said "additional future changes to Fort Bliss access controls can be expected."


Department of Defense spokesman Mark Wright said he was not aware of any department-wide edict to increase security this holiday weekend.


The main Biggs gate, which is closed to civilian traffic through 5 a.m. Tuesday, provides direct access to the Centennial Club and the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.


If you need to get there, you can use Old Ironsides (Global Reach) gate and then take a left on Sergeant Major Boulevard to get to those facilities.


Angie Tabat is an Army wife who has lived on Fort Bliss for three years and goes on and off post several times a day, using different gates.


She said there are so many gates at Fort Bliss, you only have to travel a few minutes to find one that is open.


"The gates that are closed right now shouldn't cause any major inconveniences, other than maybe a slight change in routine for some folks who typically use those gates," she said in an email.


Tabat also said she trusts the post's leadership to make the best decisions to keep everyone safe.


"Acting with an abundance of caution can never be a bad thing," she said. "As a family member and someone who lives on post, I want them to institute whatever changes they deem necessary for as long as they deem necessary. I have confidence in our leaders and decision makers. I know the safety of Fort Bliss is first and foremost in their minds at all times."


Officials urge travelers to plan accordingly and give themselves more time to access the post.


Fort Bliss has had an "easy-access policy" in recent years and has encouraged members of the El Paso public to eat and watch movies at Freedom Crossing and attend concerts, ceremonies and other events at the installation.


David Burge may be reached at 546-6126.