DBIDS registration deadline quickly approaching

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joanna M. Kresge
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Beginning Sept. 6 all Barksdale personnel are required to have their identification cards registered in the Defense Biometric Identification System.

DBIDS is a Department of Defense biometric system that allows the installation guards to see everything about a registered user including fingerprints, photo and dependants when their ID card is scanned. DBIDS assists law enforcement personnel and the base commander with force protection boosting overall base security.

"Basically DBIDS helps us determine who is allowed on base," said Senior Airman Tyvenskione Humphrey, 2d Security Forces Squadron DBIDS personnel. "The system will tell the gate guards and the patrols who has access and who is barred from the base so we can have better continuity on the installation."

Base security personnel began scanning ID cards of everyone coming through the gate in October 2009 after registering over 55,000 Barksdale visitors in DBIDS.

"We still have quite a bit of people on base who haven't registered yet," said Tech. Sgt. Shawn Elmore, 2d SFS non-commissioned officer in charge of pass and registration. "Between the stand-up of Air Force Global Strike Command and people constantly changing station there are a lot of people who aren't in the system."

"I did a survey a few months ago at the West Gate at about 8 a.m. and at the East Gate at 2 p.m. and observed how many motorists weren't registered," he said.

The results were at least 25 percent of ID card holders are not registered.

New equipment has been provided to reduce the likelihood of system inaccuracy when scanning ID cards.

"Of course there is always a margin of error, in this case five percent, whether it is operator or equipment error that can contribute to those findings," said Sergeant Elmore. "We have had two system upgrades, which will make it more reliable as well as six new personal digital assistant devices for the gates that work a lot better than the older ones."

"Also, anytime you get a new ID card, that particular card has to be registered in the system and after about three years you'll get kicked out of the system so you have to make sure you keep up with it," continued Sergeant Elmore.

Beginning Sept. 6 and due to the number of personnel that are not registered, gate guards will no longer issue warnings about DBIDS registration.

"On that day if you come through the gate and they scan your ID card and it comes back not registered, they will make you turn around and go to one of the visitors centers to register," Sergeant Elmore said.

ID card holders can register in DBIDS at the West or East Gate visitor's centers, the Military Personnel Section or the 917th customer service center.