You shall not pass without VCC

Senior Airman Richard Brown, 28th Security Forces Squadron visitor control center clerk, assists Justin Lata, a student at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, with a visitor’s pass at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Nov. 10, 2015. During an average week, the VCC issues approximately 150 paper passes and 80 Department of Defense identification cards. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Sadie Colbert/Released)

You shall not pass without VCC

Published Dec. 7, 2015
By Airman Sadie Colbert
28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- As a vital part of the 28th Security Forces Squadron, the Visitor Control Center aids in providing integrated base defense by controlling the flow of access to the installation.

The VCC oversees entry approval requests through an extensive process that begins with the individual.

First, their identity is registered into the Defense Biometrics Identification System. Clerks collect finger print, photo identification, and driver's license information, which is then sent to the National Crime Information Center to verify the status of applicant, ensuring offenders are prevented from entering the base.

Senior Airman Shelby Allio, 28th SFS VCC clerk, said background checks are integral for the safety of Ellsworth's community.

"This is our community," Allio said. "We have [many] people living on this installation, including myself and my [family]. I don't want people like that coming on the installation."

If approved, individuals are granted access to the installation for a limited time and may require an escort during their visit.

While sponsoring, escorting units specify timeframes of base access, and the VCC ensures accurate information is annotated on the pass.

Ultimately, through this whole system, VCC personnel act as the first line of defense for the base, protecting Ellsworth personnel, their families and base assets.