Visitor Control Center opens March 1 Published Feb. 11, 2015 By Kenji Thuloweit 412th Test Wing Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Members of Team Edwards who use the West Gate daily may have noticed the relatively new building next to Century Circle. That building will officially open up for business March 1 as the new Visitor Control Center (VCC). Sponsored visitors and contractors who have not been issued a DBIDS (Defense Biometric Identification System) pass must start using the new VCC beginning March 1. The hours for the VCC will be from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday, closed on weekends and holidays. During after hours, visitors will need to utilize the West Gate for their passes. Edwards AFB's North and South gates will not be affected by the VCC opening, however, during VCC hours, 412th Security Forces Squadron personnel at those gates will be calling the VCC for proper vetting of visitors. "Instead of getting your pass at the West Gate, you're going to come to the VCC to get your pass," said Tech. Sgt. Michael Campbell, 412th SFS, Visitor Control Center NCOIC. "We're going to be there to expedite the process, to make it faster for people to get their passes." The VCC will be offering DBIDS passes for up to 365 days, depending on the purpose. This does not include the DBIDS card yet, only the laminated passes for now. The 412th SFS highly encourages sponsors to call the VCC during duty hours (up to a week out) to relay visitor information. Base personnel who want to sponsor a visitor should call the VCC during duty hours (6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) at any of the following phone numbers: 661-275-9771/9772/9773/9774. Last minute sponsoring at the gates is discouraged as the vetting process can delay pass issuance. If calling outside of VCC hours/holidays/weekends, sponsors must call the respective gate where the visitor(s) is being sponsored: North Gate -661-277-4407 South Gate - 661-275-0588 West Gate - 661-277-6582 Although visitors will be required to use the VCC beginning March 1, the VCC will be equipped and manned beginning Feb. 23. The 412th SFS is encouraging people to start using the VCC as soon as possible. "We're opening the doors on February 23 and encouraging visitors to start using the VCC that day. You do not have to come there, but you can. On 1 March, entry controllers will be stopping any visitors at the West Gate during VCC operational hours and redirecting them to the VCC. Simply put, whenever getting a DBIDS pass at the West Gate and the VCC is open, you cannot go to the West Gate anymore, you will need to come to the VCC. If it is closed, then go to the West Gate. North and South Gates will remain unchanged," Campbell said. Campbell added that plans are being made for the VCC to assume additional duties normally performed by the 412th SFS Police Services (Bldg. 2419) and the 412th Pass and Registration Section (Bldg. 3000). "The idea is that we are going to make base sponsorship easier on sponsors and more comfortable for the West Gate visitors. If you've gone through the West Gate between 0630 and 0700, you've seen people standing outside waiting for their passes. With the VCC open, visitors will have a hardened facility where you can sit and relax while waiting for their pass; we're trying to make it more customer friendly. For the initial opening, 412th SFS encourages visitors to arrive earlier than usual to allow for the new procedures implemented at the gates," added Campbell. For more information regarding the opening of the VCC, call Tech. Sgt. Campbell at 661-277-8221.