Military Base Slobs!!!

[Streakn1]

Ok folks,please help educate me here. Been expediting for just over three years now, and for the most part loving it. We own a DR- unit and prefer running the temp-controlled freight. No ammo or explosives for us thankyou, but we do our share of military bases. Until recently our base visits were enjoyable. We've always gone in with a good and professional attitude and to our knowledge never given reason for anyone to be suspicious of us. With homeland security we know the bases have to be more careful in checking drivers in before allowing them and the trucks on base.

Of course you have to go through the inspection process ie: open the hood, all the doors, remove all cameras.etc. Then you have to let them inspect your cab. Thats all fine and dandy until you get some military "SLOB" that refuses to wipe his/her feet, thus tracking mud everywhere. To add insult to injury, instead of just looking inside your closet and cabinets he/she takes most everything out and if you're lucky they hap-hazardly rearranges everything by simply tossing your personal belongings back in. Trust me, we've had friends say the A-holes threw their stuff on the bed and floor and left it for the drivers to clean up.Then they fussed loudly because they were not on their way to the pickup but rather were cleaning up the mess the "friendly" base guard had left. This all for no reason.The drivers didn't have an attitude towards anyone when they arrived, they just showed up as dispatched and are ex- military themselves.

Ours took it a step farther. We've waited three years to buy a $3000.00 super laptop for our truck. Haven't had it four months only to go into a base last week and when they were inspecting our cab without our permission took our laptop out of its drawer, improperly turned it on, and then by not operating it correctly caused certain programs to crash. Then he/she puts it back in the drawer incorrectly and shuts the drawer on the external wireless card, thus almost breaking it. By the way, we were herded into a room and not allowed to watch while they inspected our truck. When I found what had happened I REALLY wanted to hurt someone, but their the ones holding the guns.

Is this becoming the norm for base inspections? Who's held responsible when they break and damage your personal belongings? Lord knows if we damage their freight they file a claim against us! Correct me if I'm wrong but if this is the future of military base loads, well they can find someone else's truck to trash !!!x(

 

[whitewolf53]

Have not had that experience yet,but about 3 weeks ago went to the naval base in Norfolk,Va.to pick up a load going to the naval base around Kingsland,Ga.Went thru the security check at Norfolk,they just looked in the cab and sleeper,didn't disturb anything.Passed security clearance and made the pickup.
Now i get down to the submarine base in Kingsland,Ga.go into security to get my clearance.Well they made me feel like a criminal,took my picture ran the clearance on me,and then come back and tell me they will not let me in to deliver the freight.
When i told them there was no problem with my clearance in Norfolk,they tell me this isn't Norfolk.
So i say okay i'll just take it back to Norfolk.I need the miles anyway.Well all of a sudden they have a truck backing up to mine to transfer the load.
I didn't really care one way or the other but i can't understand why i can get on one base and not the other.

Mike
Whitewolf 53

HERE LIZARD LIZARD LIZARD

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[JohnO]

Mike,
They may have been concerned you would taken all their lizards back to Norfolk...lol
With military runs some bases require a higher security clearance than others.

 

[Moot]

I would deliver to an Ashland Oil refinery in St. Paul Park, MN 2 or 3 times a month. The guard would deny entry to me because I had a beard. Not a ZZ Top or taliban beard. Just a trimmed full beard. The reason was that in the event of an emergency a respirator would not fit tightly around my face. Ya right. After a few re-delivery charges they would send a truck out to street to get their freight.

I would also deliver to a Koch refinery about 10 miles away. No problem there. The guard at Koch thought Ashland's management imposed the beard rule on their employees and made it a safety issue. Employees claimed if it was a safety issue it should apply to everyone. So no beards on the premises.

 

[greg334]

Well I was under the impression that if they are required to search your vehicle you have recourse if there is any damage or the inspection is done in such a way that you feel it was improperly done. It is the same thing as being told where to park on base and having damage to your vehicle, the instructions you receive does not elminate their responsiblity for damages that happens while you are doing your job on the base.

I went through this twice when I used to go to the base in Charleston to work. I was told to park in a designated area and had 1 - my bumper pushed in by a humvee backing up and 2 - having a really nice scrape along the side of my car because someone decided to move the 18 foot pipe that was sitting next to my car. Both times I was told I could not do anyhting about it and still filed with the SPs and Base Safety. As it is always the case, I had to wait but got my money for the damage. My insurance company refused to pay because I could have them pay for it.

I would not let them rush you through the process and don't be intimidated by the MP/SPs. I would after finding mud and a messed up truck, tell them you want to see the officer in charge and let him know what is going on and ask him what the procedures are for an inspection. If you do not get results, I was told the base commandors office is open to all.

Also as for types of inspections, it depends on the weapons that are on the base what level of inspection. Please correct me if I am wrong on that. The two nule sites I went to were highly secure and I had my picture, finger prints, asked a lot of quesitons and my truck inspected both in and out of the place. I was a contractor with clearence for the work I did but that didn't matter.

 

[tec1959]

Mike the difference with the 2 bases is that Kingsland,Ga is a nuclear submarine base and has some of the tightest security in the country...

 

[EASYTRADER]

If you ever have a problem on a military base, you address your grievance to the base commander or executive officer. They are typically very conscious of the way civilians are treated on base and if you have a legitimate complaint the base CO will put his polished boot into some A**.

By the way ussually on naval bases the scrubbs in the Shore Patrol are the ones who pull Gate Duty, so it wouldn't surprise me at all, that you ran accross a few.

You'd be surprissed at how a well placed letter, can change some things especially if you pickup and deliver there alot.

 

[Broompilot]

Norfolk Naval Base; Watch out at this one. Used the same line I had no problem in Portsmouth NH loading. Well this aint Portsmouth I was told. OK

I posted about this earlier, told me that my camera, tape recorder, and lap top must come out of the truck. OK I agree, now where are you gona keep I asked? They said right over there next the guard shack, but "We are not responsible for it if its stolen." Well than you cannot I have I told them unless you sign an inventory list and give it to me. I have never had this happen at any previous military base.

Obviously they need what we have or they would not be shipping it this way, someone up the chain of commands is and did solve the problem. Relax if you are refused entry, start the clock a ticking cause you did your job delivered the freight on time, its there rules and there problem to solve not yours. Good luck.

 

[whitewolf53]

>Mike the difference with the 2 bases is that Kingsland,Ga is
>a nuclear submarine base and has some of the tightest
>security in the country...


So i guess my conviction for spitting on the sidewalk
which came under DISORDERLY CONDUCT,when i was 17 yrs old
Didn't pass muster with them.
And yes it is true,i was convicted of that offense.

Mike
Whitewolf 53


HERE LIZARD LIZARD LIZARD

:9 :9 :9 :9 :9 :9 :9

 

[tr]

Bad news, they are not trained to act that way. Contact the SJA (Staff Judge Advocate Office) and report any damages. Just make sure you have all you facts together. Good Luck