RAPIDGATE replaces all other passes at Pax River NAS today

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

If you have any connection to Patuxent River Naval Air Station, you should know that RAPIDGATE starts today.

Do you have a blue, brown, orange of gray "NAVAIR Team" badge? It's useless — you can't use it.

The only way to gain access to Pax River, Webster Field Annex or the Naval Recreation Center at Solomons is with a new RAPIDGATE card, a Common Access Card or with a temporary paper pass and photo identification.

"We have given everyone two months to prepare," said David Fullmer, Pax River's antiterrorism officer. "I think everyone's gotten the message, I just don't know if everyone has heeded the message. But, I think everyone knows about it."

According to Fullmer, contractors are the ones who are mainly affected by the changeover. Active and retired military identification cards, as well as military dependent identification cards, will remain valid for base access.

Dependents of government employees will get a version of a paper pass, only with a longer expiration date of 90 days. After the end of the 90 days, the dependent will have to repeat the process, going with their sponsor to the pass office.

Fullmer warned that there could be long waits at the pass office for people who waited until today to get their updated passes.

"People without military IDs will have to have a RAPIDGATE card, a CAC or a paper ID or they will have to go to the pass office," Fullmer said. "There are no exceptions."

jmalene@somdnews.com