Posted on Jun 20, 2015
What do you make of Camp Lejuene's recent crackdown on the display of DOD vehicle decals?
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Officials at one of the country's largest Marine bases are doubling down on efforts to get troops to comply with vehicle decal requirements despite several Defense Department-wide warnings to service members and their families to conceal their military affiliations following recent terror threats.
Marine officials at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, issued an advisory reminding all personnel working or stationed aboard the base to properly display DoD vehicle decals. Going without may result in a ticket, according to Lejeune officials, who say recent heightened security measures have revealed that many on base don't comply with the decal requirement.
The policy, which applies to the whole Marine Corps, contrasts with guidance issued by the Pentagon's Force Protection Agency to all DoD personnel in October in response to threats from the Islamic State group. The agency recommended that all DoD personnel "remove any [military] decals or identifiers from clothing and vehicles."
This decal requirement has become increasingly controversial. Because of the stickers' prominent windshield placement and the information they convey, some believe they jeopardize the safety of troops and their families instead of protecting it.
The Navy got rid of vehicle decals in 2013, citing similar security concerns. The Army and Air Force have also dispensed with them. A decision regarding the Corps' decals policy is pending at Marine Corps Installations Command, but officials say no new rules have been implemented yet.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2015/06/19/decal-confusion-prompts-policy-crackdown-lejeune/28858437/
Marine officials at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, issued an advisory reminding all personnel working or stationed aboard the base to properly display DoD vehicle decals. Going without may result in a ticket, according to Lejeune officials, who say recent heightened security measures have revealed that many on base don't comply with the decal requirement.
The policy, which applies to the whole Marine Corps, contrasts with guidance issued by the Pentagon's Force Protection Agency to all DoD personnel in October in response to threats from the Islamic State group. The agency recommended that all DoD personnel "remove any [military] decals or identifiers from clothing and vehicles."
This decal requirement has become increasingly controversial. Because of the stickers' prominent windshield placement and the information they convey, some believe they jeopardize the safety of troops and their families instead of protecting it.
The Navy got rid of vehicle decals in 2013, citing similar security concerns. The Army and Air Force have also dispensed with them. A decision regarding the Corps' decals policy is pending at Marine Corps Installations Command, but officials say no new rules have been implemented yet.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2015/06/19/decal-confusion-prompts-policy-crackdown-lejeune/28858437/
Camp Lejeune
Marine Corps
DoD
Edited 10 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 29
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Haven't had stickers on cars at our base for years.
Seems to me to be a case of one having a little authority and that one making sure you know it.
Seems to me to be a case of one having a little authority and that one making sure you know it.
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TSgt Thomas Monaghan
I know base stickers in the USAF have been discontinued for a good number of years
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TSgt Thomas Monaghan
I know base stickers in the USAF have been discontinued for a good number of years
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Most places (The Army) did away with the DOD decals. There is no force protection or security value. They actually cause force protection issues. And last, they cost a lot of money.
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"Because that's the way it's always been done!" I'm sure that's the thought process of the base commander and the civilian (retired Marine) GS employee who serves as the base security officer. Let's not worry about real-world threats against our Marines. Let's just make sure everyone's stickers look nice so the SgtMaj's can life out junior Marines who park in the wrong spot, or so the officer's wives can get a salute coming through the gate. Typical.
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Just another observation. I still see cars with the stickers even though they are no longer issued. I even recently saw one in a used car lot.
Back in the day one had to remove the sticker from a car if it was sold.
Obviously didn't always happen.
Back in the day one had to remove the sticker from a car if it was sold.
Obviously didn't always happen.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
I remember that being a BIG issue when I was stationed at Camp Lejeune in the 80s. You could go to just about any used car lot and find vehicles for sale with valid DOD decals on the windshield.
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Capt (Join to see)
We had to turn in the old (in many pieces) sticker before they would issue a new one. Some car dealers were very good at removing the old one.
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It's the person, not the vehicle, that is permitted access to the installation. Once everybody started checking IDs at the gates everywhere, the decals became useless. All they serve to do is put a target on the vehicle. Marines need to get on board with the rest of the Services.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
Well, I don't know about that. We do, however, tend to stick with our "traditions" (not that I think this is such) more than most! :-)
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PO1 John Miller
GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad, you've got to admit though that there is absolutely no reason for parking decals anymore.
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The Coast Guard also dispensed with them. Even required everyone to remove them. I don't get it; if all the other services required removal including the Navy, why is the USMC still a holdout since it under DON?
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This is the exact opposite of what the policy is up here at TACOM. All Military and DoD Civilians had to remove the decals because of guidance of the G-2. The CG agreed and so it was done.
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Conflict of "orders." Escalate.
Although I disagree that the sticker is an actual indicator, and force protection concern, as there are just too many cars, and if you are in a locale that has a heavy military population... it's just easier to target at random...
That said, the sticker isn't that useful either, we generally require ID checks anyways to get one bases in addition to the sticker, therefore... let's get rid of the unnecessary step.
When there is a conflict of orders, you escalate it up the chain. It's really that simple. Now, the DoD "Recommended" not "Required" which means that until Marine Corps Policy changes, you leave them on, whether it is a stupid policy or not.
Although I disagree that the sticker is an actual indicator, and force protection concern, as there are just too many cars, and if you are in a locale that has a heavy military population... it's just easier to target at random...
That said, the sticker isn't that useful either, we generally require ID checks anyways to get one bases in addition to the sticker, therefore... let's get rid of the unnecessary step.
When there is a conflict of orders, you escalate it up the chain. It's really that simple. Now, the DoD "Recommended" not "Required" which means that until Marine Corps Policy changes, you leave them on, whether it is a stupid policy or not.
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It's a requirement. Much as its a requirement to have your vehicle decals for parking and access to civilian business facilities and parking lots. If I'm not mistaken, most apartment complexes, college campuses, and other permanent or regularly visited places require decals or signs on your vehicle for access and parking. I believe the debate is much about nothing. At most it's a lot of hypersensitive naysayers that believe that a terrorist will look onto a vehicle windshield and decide to attack the occupants. Newsflash....terrorist could care less about your decals.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
Yes CWO3 (Join to see), it's a requirement. One that should be seriously reconsidered in view of DOD's current guidance on the matter.
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