The 23d Civil Engineer Squadron is currently managing the reconstruction of the Mitchell Gate, which is slated for completion April 31, here.

The 23d CES partnered with civilian contractors to reconstruct the gate in an effort to improve the security posture with improved anti-terrorism force protection barriers.

“Every time we do something that increases security, it makes people feel better; they feel safer,” said Gary Weis, 23d Security Forces Squadron anti-terrorism manager. “Folks see that we’re putting measures in place to protect them. Being an Air Combat Command base makes us a bigger target, because of the weapon systems we have here. We’re putting bombs on targets down range. When the terrorists see bombs coming from A-10s, and they see we have them back here, that gets their attention.”

At 70% completion, the 23d CES is installing three new barriers designed to protect against vehicle born explosive devices, all while doing minimal damage to the vehicle or the system itself. According to Phillip Hoderny, 23d CES project manager, the system is amongst the newest technology on the market in barrier systems. Investing $2.4 million on this project, Moody has spared no expense in keeping the Airmen and their families safe.

“We want to keep everyone who isn’t allowed on base outside of the fence line,” Weis said. “The gates are designed to catch the bad guys. So if we don’t have a barrier system when they come up to [the gate], and they fly past the guard, our only recourse then is to chase them down, and if we don’t have a vehicle there at the time, then someone has to respond from someplace else on base; so then [the bad guys] literally get wherever they want. 

“So having that barrier system in place captures any threatening vehicle that will be there,” Weis continued. “The reason behind that, behind wanting the systems and wanting the final denial barriers, is because of the potential for some type of vehicle born explosive device. Somebody puts something in a vehicle and they try and drive it in and blow it up next to a building or airplane.”

Tech. Sgt. James Sheppard, 23d SFS plans and programs NCO, expounded on the idea of how the new barriers act as a force multiplier, because it has the ability to stop three directions of traffic with the hit of one button. Now, instead of three different patrols, it takes one security forces Airman to stop a gate runner or other vehicle attempting to gain unauthorized access.

“It gives the gate guards better tools,” Weis said. “[Before construction] our only option was to, first, have security forces patrols know the situation at the gate; we didn’t have final denial barriers there. It’s another tool in their bag that better enables them to protect this installation at the entry control point.”