Marines

PASS to expedite visitor center process

16 Feb 2012 | Cpl. Miranda Coleman Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

Visiting Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune can seem difficult because of the security practices implemented if personnel don't already have base access.

Meeting a sponsor at the front gate, waiting in line and filling out paperwork can now be avoided with a new system of vouching for visitors before they come aboard the base.

The web-hosted Personnel Access Sponsorship System is scheduled to be implemented and fully up and running by tomorrow.

The new system will allow for Department of Defense personnel to vouch for visitors coming aboard base by accessing an application within the Microsoft SharePoint via the Marine Corps Installations East web portal and imputing most, if not all, of the required information to complete a visitor's pass for their guest. The sponsor will then be given a confirmation code which can be used by their guest once they arrive at the visitor center.

"It's just like having the express pass at Disneyland," said Lt. Col. Robert Stanford, the MCB Camp Lejeune Provost Marshal. "If you have gone online and used this system, you get front of the line privileges. You've streamlined the process and at that point it's just data verification."

As well as expediting the visitor center process, the system was designed in an effort to expand sponsorship tracking capabilities and access control for MCB Camp Lejeune, Camp Johnson and Stone Bay.

"It allows us to vet people before they show up," said Lt. Casey Robinson, assistant services officer, Provost Marshal's Office. "If someone has some type of record, we can do a quick background check to make sure we're not letting sex offenders or someone with a felony or criminal record aboard the base."

Initially, the system will only be accessible with a common access card.

"The system will evolve over time though," said Stanford. "We hope that in the future, base personnel will be able to access the portal from their home computers to vouch for their visitors.

"The scalability of the application will allow utilization by all of the MCIEAST installations in the future with possible Marine Corpswide enterprise implications," added Stanford. "They're building this with that flexibility in mind."

With continuous modifications and improvements to the application, the system will allow for a larger user base and advance efficiency and effectiveness throughout MCIEAST.

Along with the new vouching system, new and improved visitor's passes will also be distributed to base guests, which will now include a photo of the visitor, a watermark, more information about the individual coming aboard the base and an expiration date that will be much more easily identifiable to sentries.

Visitors are advised that even if their sponsor vouched for them before their arrival, they still must bring the required documents to acquire a visitor's pass including a valid driver's license, state registration and current proof of insurance.

PASS will not replace the previous way of vouching for visitors. If sponsors still choose to meet their guest at the visitor center they may do so.

Once the system is in full operation, base personnel can access PASS at https://lejeune.mcieast.usmc.mil/SES/PASS/default.aspx.