DBIDS identity verification sytem debuts at MSP Air Reserve Station

  • Published
  • By Paul Zadach
  • 934th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL AIR RESERVE STATION --  The 934th Security Forces Squadron has a new high tech device in its arsenal for keeping the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station secure.

As many have seen already, Security Forces personnel controlling access to the base are now using hand-held scanners as part of the Defense Biometric Identification System which became operational here Sept. 18.

DBIDS incorporates biometrics in order to verify a person's identity. This information already resides in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, better known as DEERS.

The DBIDS system is there to help the person screening IDs at the gate, said Robert Doyle, 934th Security Forces Squadron DBIDS site security manager. "An ID card can appear to be valid when looking at it but it may have been lost, stolen or counterfeit. The DBIDS system will tell us immediately if that is the case. The DBIDS system does not replace the manual ID check, we will always have that system in place."

DBIDS is not unique to the 934th AW in that it is a DoD mandated system that has been in use at other bases around the world. The system is being used at all gates to the Minneapolis IAP ARS. The first screening of a card will take about 20-25 seconds for the card to be registered in the system. Once registered, it will be in the system for any DoD base worldwide. After initial registration the scan should take only a few seconds.

"The system so far is working well," said Tech. Sgt. Randy Barker, 934th Security Forces Squadron, as he worked his shift at the main gate. "We've had some issues with some of the retiree ID cards not reading correctly, but we are working through those issues." To help with the retiree ID issue, holders of retiree IDs issued before 2003 should have them replaced with the newer version ID card to work correctly with the DBIDS system.

The 934th AW along with the 133rd AW, Navy and some Marines are all scheduled for the October 13-14 UTA. The challenge will be to scan all the people who have not come on base since the DBIDS was implemented. "We will use the DBIDS when practical but will be monitoring the traffic closely and will revert to the manual system if the delays become too great," said Doyle. It will take a while to get everyone in the system. After more people are registered, the ingress during UTAs should continue to become quicker."

"Since it is a new system for us there are new things to learn and the initial registration does slow things down a bit," explained Doyle. "So far, everyone has been patient and we thank them for that. The system really benefits everyone in helping us to perform the Security Forces mission by keeping the base population safe."