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Lost, stolen ID cards a growing problem

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Kwang Woong Kim
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Increases in local crimes of opportunity and lost identification cards has become an ever-growing problem at Fairchild.
     Statistics have shown a sizeable growth in the amount of lost and stolen ID cards, ranging from common access cards, retiree and dependent cards, contractor badges and restricted area badges.
     "The amount of ID cards lost or stolen has risen and it has become a key issue here," said Michael Bradshaw, 92nd Security Forces Squadron Reports and Analysis specialist.
     In the fiscal year 2011, lost and stolen cards totaled 833 amounting to $11,740, a 60 percent increase from FY 2010 of 521 totaling $7,315.
     "Each CAC or non-CAC, whether it's civilian or military, costs money," Bradshaw said. "You have to take into account for labor of the patrolmen to get forms to the member, to process paperwork and get the card re-made and re-issued to the member."
     The average amount per CAC lost is at $30 and for non-CAC is $5.
     "This money does not come out of the wing or security forces' budget, but the Air Force's," Bradshaw said. "It has a bigger impact than it seems."
     Along with monetary effects, it also impacts the mission of security forces' members.
     The average time it takes for a patrolman to process all paperwork for a lost ID card and to reissue the card takes approximately 20 minutes and for a stolen ID card takes one hour.
     "Calculating the amount of cards lost and the time it takes to replace them, patrolmen spent 308.3 hours in FY 2011 taking care of ID card issues," Bradshaw said. "This takes our patrolmen away from being able to do their duties around Fairchild and be on the road policing."
     The largest amount of lost ID cards came from military CAC and dependent cards, accounting for 81 percent of all cards lost and stolen.
     In addition to ID cards, restricted area badges getting lost or stolen has been a problem.
     "When we issue the badge, we inform the member of its importance and members are required to read and sign a memorandum which outlines their basic responsibilities. The letter is maintained by their security manager," said Luke Humphrey, 92nd SFS pass and registration.
     Along with matters of operational security, losing restricted area badges bring additional issues.
     "I highlight that when the amount of missing restricted area badges surpasses 5 percent of the total amount issued, we will have to mass re-issue the badges and I know that will not be a good situation," Humphrey said.
     Since July 2010, 17 restricted area badges have been lost or stolen.
     "We would like to emphasize that people start a routine by placing IDs and badges in a safe place that they frequently use and check," said Bradshaw. "It will relieve a lot of headaches for everyone."