Pax River Cuts Gate Guards, Braces for Traffic
By Jay Friess
Editor
Pax River Gate 1 satellite image courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey
Naval Air Station Patuxent River has announced that it is temporarily reducing the number of guards at its three gates starting Tuesday, reducing flow through the gates and increasing traffic delays.
Pax River announced the change Saturday, blaming “developing administrative demand on our security forces.” The base says the reductions will be similar to those implemented during the recent holiday season.
The base recommended that all personnel adjust their arrival routines accordingly and suggests commuting in staggered arrivals to mitigate gate congestion.
The base said it expects the duration of of the reduced manning to be short, but did not give an end date.
“We appreciate your patience as we work through this situation,” read a statement from the Pax River public information office.
The gate manning reduction follows a reduction of hours at Pax River’s southernmost entrance – Gate 3. The reduction in gate hours reflects the overall belt tightening being endured by Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Washington, as the Navy shifts its financial resources from domestic bases to fleet operations in advance of expected defense cuts.
The Navy has warned lawmakers that it will not have enough operating funds to finish the year if Congress passes another continuing resolution in March to avoid an automatic 10 percent cut in military funding, known as sequestration, passed by Congress in 2011.
Noisy Nighttime Testing Starts Tuesday
In other news, the base is advising nearby communities that noise-generating night-time testing events are scheduled to take place Tuesday, Jan. 22 until Friday, Jan. 25. Test events are scheduled from 4:30-9:30 p.m.
Pilots at Pax River will be testing and training for realistic night flight scenarios. These events will include, night precision runway approach and landing and low-visibility operational testing. Residents may notice increased noise levels due to these operations.
For more information call 1-866-819-9028.
