JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, Washington, D.C. –
Beginning March 4, the South Gate will become Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling’s 24- hour access gate and the Arnold Gate will no longer be open at all hours.
The Arnold Gate will have new operating hours of 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and will close on holidays. There is currently no change to Firth Sterling Gate operations, which is open Monday through Friday from 6:00 to 8:30 a.m. Pedestrian turnstyle gates are accessible 24/7 for all who have registered their ID card with the Joint Visitor Center at 202-767-0970.
This major gate change has been in consideration since 2021, with 11th Security Forces Squadron leading the way to assess gate operations, gate use, off-base traffic congestion and security considerations.
The gate change comes from a variety of force protection concerns to better protect the 11th SFS Tough Tigers and the installation itself, as well as from analyzing the traffic flow and patterns coming onto base during the evening, night and weekend hours, said Maj. Nathan Aiken, 11th SFS commander..
“Swapping the 24/7 gate supports both the base populace and addresses those force protection concerns,” he said.
The base has seen a number of changes since the activation of the 11th Wing on JBAB in June 2020 and subsequent activation of the 11th SFS later in the same month. This gate change is one of many planned to improve the security, functionality and quality of life on the installation.
“There may be some unrealized short-term growing pains as this is a major shift for the base, but we believe those will be quickly overcome and will serve the base in the best way for the long run,” said Aiken.
Future gate updates include construction of a temporary large vehicle inspection gate to the north side of the installation, which is also planned to be the location of the permanent inspection station. These initiatives are expected to not only improve physical security for the installation, but also to alleviate traffic congestion along South Capitol Street.
JBAB patrons are encouraged to submit feedback about these changes and other initiatives through Interactive Customer Evaluation tool, or ICE. This feedback on users’ experiences, when combined with usage data, is essential to helping the 11th SFS and JBAB leadership teams make informed decisions the command team and the Tough Tigers value feedback from those who live, work and play on JBAB.