Lejeune spikes security for gates
CHRISSY VICK
February 25, 2007

Sentries stationed at Camp Lejeune gates will soon be able to stop a threatening vehicle without raising their weapons.

As part of a yearly internal security assessment - and the recent availability of funding - Camp Lejeune is installing tire deflation devices at its gates starting this week.

"We have Department of Defense anti-terrorism standards that we have to meet," said Steve Simmons, base anti-terrorism officer. "One standard is that all gates need a way to positively stop a vehicle."

The new security device is called the Catsclaw, which consists of a series of pads embedded in the cement at base gates, Simmons said. If the device is activated, sharp blades will pop up and puncture the tire cavity of all four tires, bringing the vehicle to a quick halt, according to the company Web site.

"If a guard identified a threat, then the guard will operate the system forcing the driver to make a decision - stop the car or lose four tires," Simmons said. "We chose this device for a number of reasons; one of them is that it is non-lethal. Some of the other options, such as wedge walls, have caused fatalities."

Signs will be posted to inform drivers that the system is installed and lights will go off if the system is activated, he said. The device will be installed at all of the base gates, including Tarawa Terrace 1 and 2, Camp Johnson, Midway Park, Piney Green, Sneads Ferry, Stone Bay and the main gate, according to a base press release.

Construction will take place through September and will be staggered so that traffic patterns will not be disrupted all at once, the release said.

"We know there are going to be some delays, but we are doing everything we can to minimize them," Simmons said.

Money for the new security measure was provided by end-of-year funds from Marine Corps headquarters, he said. Base guards will be in charge of whether to activate the Catsclaw.

"If a sentry determines a threat to himself or the installation, he will use procedures consistent with the escalation of force," Simmons said. "This system is just another tool for their toolbox to use against someone who wants to enter the installation and cause harm to the base infrastructure or its residents."

Officials announced earlier this month that for security reasons they would be restricting access to N.C. 172, which connects the Bear Creek area to Sneads Ferry. Officials have also installed various barriers around the base, shelters at the gates and increased security planning.

These and other recently implemented security measures are not in response to any specific or immediate threat, and there has been no change in Camp Lejeune's threat position, base officials said. The measures have been in response to ongoing Camp Lejeune and DoD studies.

"We live in a post 9/11 world," said Col. Brant Bailey, director of training and operations at the base.

"And we're very concerned about the security of our infrastructure, our combat power and people who live and work on base."

Simmons says the base undergoes vulnerability assessments every three years by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The last assessment that addressed security issues at the base was conducted in 2005.

"We have taken a number of steps to address these issues, including updating the procedures taking place at the gates," Simmons said. "However, to address some of the other issues, we were waiting on the funding."

All bases have been required to implement similar gate security measures for a number of years, but monies were first used for bases and stations "dealing with higher threat levels," he said. Base officials are constantly looking for ways to ensure the safety of the people who live and work on the base, Simmons said.

"We have a large military presence, a lot of assets to protect," he said. "We plan our security to ensure that we are using the best technology and procedures available to allow access to those who need to access the base while keeping those out who do not need to be here."