I've been stationed on a number of bases during my Army career. Each of these bases has had a level (or lack of) security that varied from base to base. When I was a student at DLI, it was an open post. That meant that the gates were never closed and anyone could walk/drive/bike on and off post as they desired. At the same time, Ft Ord (just a few miles away) was a closed post. This was the home of the 7th Infantry Division and they had full time gate guards. I don't know who had that duty at the time, but I think it was probably a combination of Military Police (MP) and also soldiers from units that were tasked with base support (on a rotational basis). Soldiers guarded soldiers.
Schofield Barracks in Hawaii was also a closed post. They had gate guards there, too, and anyone that wanted to enter the base had to have some form of military ID or verifiable business to conduct on post. Now, that business might be as minor as delivering a pizza, but there was at least some form of check in place. But sometime during my tour there, the garrison decided to become an open post. Some of the gates would only be open during peak hours, but the gate guards went away. Wheeler Army Air Field right across the street remained a closed post with guards, but that was because of the airfield and aircraft kept there. But for at least a while, soldiers guarded soldiers.
When I went to Korea, we had a closed post. But, many of the guards there were Korean National Police. Our drive through gate was manned with KNP, Korean Air Force Security Police, and US MPs. Our walk through gate was "manned" by an unarmed female KNP (who wore a drab beige uniform with high-heeled boots - good for chasing people entering post illegally) and a sleepy Korean AF SP. That always baffled me. A majority of service members are male and the walk through gate bordered our bases "drinking ville". So, every Friday and Saturday night there would be a dozen drunk soldiers trying to chat up the gate guard. They just knew that she wanted each and every one of them. Now, the US MP station was located right next to the gate, so if there was trouble, they were only a shout or phone call away from stepping in. The Korean AF SP was almost always asleep. He had not duty to check US ID cards, he was there only to check Korean AF personnel entering or exiting post and since most of them were conscripts with no off post privaleges, the SP would go weeks without seeing even one ID card. Now, the benefit of having KNP on the gates is that if there is a demonstration outside of post that turns a little rowdy, there doesn't have to be any US on Korean activity to quell the riot. US posts are protected by KNP and also Korean Riot Police as necesseary and all the suppresion is Korean on Korean. But inside the gates, soldiers guarded soldiers.
After I left Korea, I went back to Hawaii and it was still an open post at the time. This now affected me in a way that it never had before, though. I got married on my way to Hawaii and we moved into on post housing. While it didn't make me to concerned, really, it was something to think about. Especially, every time I saw the crazy homeless guy that wandered post with as he pleased. Well, that all changed in September. Access to military posts worldwide became restricted instantly. Schofield went back to regular gate guards and this made me feel better on so many levels. The sense of security I felt was worth the occasional vehicle search. Of course security was never fool proof (I saw the crazy homeless guy on post very often despite the closed post status), but it was better. Again, soldiers guarded soldiers (can you sense a theme here?).
When I returned to Korea for my second tour, security was tighter but still not perfect. Protests were up and we had many more days where there were multiple platoons of riot police lined up in front of the gate to stop the molotav cocktails. We had several instances of breaches where college students would try to hang anti-US banners from our radio antenna but security was fairly good. And, soldiers guarded soldiers (inside the protective ring of riot police).
That brings me here to DLI. When I got here, DLI was guarded by a National Guard unit that had been activated for the duty, and they were augmented by "casuals". Casuals are soldiers here at DLI that are not in class for a variety of reasons. Some of them are just waiting for their class to start or waiting for a chance to reenter a class after being pulled for one reason or another. Some have finished class but haven't yet moved on. Some were pending separation from service (conscientious objectors/disciplinary cases/you know, just the type you want on guard duty). But, at least it was soldiers guarding soldiers.
Now Ft Ord was another story. Ft Ord, the once proud home to the 7th ID, has been mostly closed and returned to the state of California. Many of the building lie vacated with plywood on the windows and surrounded by weed gardens (weed forests). Much of post is now California State University at Monterey Bay. A little bit of military housing remains for the servicemembers stationed at DLI, along with a Post Exchange, Commissary, Gas Station, and a Burger King. There are a few other buildings/services remaining, but mostly that's it. But because of the layout of what remains and the severe shortage of manpower, it is completely open. That's right, all our students and schoolhouses are kept safely behind gates and guards at DLI, but our families are not. Don't get me wrong, I don't live in an area that is riddled with crime, I've just always thought that one of the trade offs you made for living in military housing (which very often is of a low standard) was the security of living behind fencelines and gate guards. Or - Soldiers that guarded soldiers.
Well, that brings me to my point. Now, the National Guard unit has fulfilled it's obligation here and returned to it's home to carry out another mission. We didn't have another unit to pick up the void, so we've contracted our security out to a company. That's right, we now have civilian security guards at the gates. They were nice blue uniforms with security patches. They look very professional - just like mall rent a cops. There is one at every gate that holds a shotgun "at the ready". It's incredible, really.
I don't know what bothers me second most. Is it that I know how unlikely it was that two months ago there wasn't a security company with 50+ personnel, just sitting around waiting for a lucky break to get a contract? And how much security training could they get in that time? Is it that these guys rely on looking at my picture ID card and ask me to verify my identity by telling them my first name? I mean, would I go so far as to make a fake picture ID and then fail to use a memorable first name? Is it the 50+ year old man holding his shotgun and looking ready to pass out on a particular sunny day last week? Some work is just not for some people.
I truly don't know what bothers me second most.
But I can tell you what bothers me the most about this.
Soldiers are not being guarded by soldiers.