Fort Belvoir announced Friday it is limiting access to the Army base in Fairfax County to those with Department of Defense identification, their minor dependents and those with sponsored passes.
The restrictions include taxis, Uber and Lyft drivers and food delivery drivers, who must now meet their customers at the gates, according to a base social media post.
Jason Shepherd, deputy director of public affairs at Fort Belvoir, said the change isn't in response to any particular incident.
"The garrison commander reevaluates installation safety and security operations frequently and decided to restrict access to only those with DoD ID cards, their minor dependents, and those sponsored to enter post," Shepherd told InsideNova Friday evening.
In its social media post, the base said the change was made "to ensure the safety and security of the people who live and work on Fort Belvoir."
"This change is indefinite and will remain in effect until ordered otherwise by the Garrison Commander," the post said.
Any visitors will need to meet their sponsor at the Visitor Control Center with a state-issued driver’s license or state-issued identification card to gain access to the base, Shepherd said.
To facilitate the changes, Tulley Gate will now be open 24 hours starting at 6 a.m. on Saturday. Lieber Gate will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. All sponsors will need to meet their visitors or pick up food deliveries in the parking lot of the Tulley Gate Visitor Control Center.
In May, two Jordanian nationals attempted to breach the gates of nearby Marine Corps Base Quantico. The men were arrested on misdemeanor federal trespassing charges and both bonded out of jail in June.
"The safety of our residents and employees is Fort Belvoir’s top priority. We understand that this is a major change and truly appreciate your understanding and patience at this time," the base said.
Click here for more information about visitor access to Fort Belvoir.
(The Center Square) – Two Jordanian men who are accused of attempting to illegally enter Quantico Marine Base have been identified and released, pending future court hearings.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin is demanding answers from President Joe Biden after two Jordanian nation…
(4) comments
Biden's America. Get ready for a rough decade, ladies and gents.
If only we could put that Commander in charge of our southern border …….
Belvoir is an annex for the Pentagon and there's a big Army hospital on the base. Lots of civilian employees. Used to be weekend soccer played on a number of soccer fields. Feds must be concerned about something.
No visitors. Just terrorists. Thanks Biden and Kamala.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.