Base gate guard change under way Published May 13, 2009 By Brandice J. Armstrong Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Beginning Oct. 1, Department of Defense civilians will replace contracted gate guards. Drivers will notice only a slight change when they approach a gate, as the processes will remain the same. But, the DOD mandate means a new beginning for Tinker. The civilians will have responsibilities in addition to guarding the gates. "We're hiring DOD police officers, not strictly gate guards," said Capt. Robert Prausa, 72nd Security Forces Squadron Operations officer, "and they will have an opportunity to step up the corporate ladder to become patrolmen and fill any voids we have there." Contractors have been guarding Tinker's gates for approximately five years. But in those years, officials said, there has been an influx of deployments. By appointing a civilian force to guard the gates, they can offset the number of deploying Airmen and, when needed, also perform other police-related duties. "They will be integrated with the flights," said Senior Master Sgt. Timothy O'Linn, 72nd SFS Operations superintendent. Currently there are 82 gate guards. Under the new mandate, 70 DOD police officers will man the gates. Current gate guard contractors may apply for the police officer positions, which will be hired in two phases - supervisors and leads are hired in the first phase and officers are considered in the second phase. The civilian force begins training Aug. 31 with a four-week on-base training regimen. They will also participate in a five-week course at the Veterans Affairs police academy. Before they man the gates, they must qualify to handle a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol and an M4 Carbine assault rifle, and are required to meet Air Force physical training standards. While the new system will ultimately benefit the Air Force, Captain Prausa said the current gate guards do a phenomenal job and will be missed. "Our gate guards have been a huge force multiplier since their employment and we greatly appreciate their service," he said.