Air Force warns against travel to Mexico, O-6 signature required

  • Published
  • By Kenji Thuloweit
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  It seems like every day you can pick up a newspaper, or go online to a news website, and read about another episode of violence in Mexico.

Drug gangs and cartels battling for turf have turned parts of Mexico into practical war zones.

That's why Edwards' antiterrorism officers want to make sure the base populace is aware of the travel restrictions and requirements for military and government civilians who are thinking about visiting Mexico.

A grenade attack at a Guadalajara nightclub in February serves as a reminder that not all of the deaths in Mexico involve cartel members. Six people were killed and 20 others injured.

"The problem with these clubs and taxi cabs is that the Mexican cartels use taxi cabs to move drugs and the clubs are selling the drugs," said Robert Hoover, 95th Air Base Wing Antiterrorism officer. "One cartel gets upset with another cartel for coming in on their turf so they're fighting and innocent victims get caught up in between."

"We want to prevent U.S. servicemembers, civilians and contractors from becoming a statistic just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"The cartels are setting up fake roadblocks, just like in [Afghanistan and Iraq]. They're dressing up like cops, talking to people, and if they want to take your car or feel like they can kidnap you and take some ransom, they're going to do that," Mr. Hoover said.

According to the latest Mexico travel guidance from Air Force Northern Command, the Mexican states of Michoacan, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Chihuahua, and Durango remain off-limits.

The AFNORTH commander requires a signed memorandum for non-official travel into Mexico by the first O-6 in the chain of command or the highest ranking Air Force commander on-site. This applies to Airmen for both restricted and non-restricted travel into Mexico.

Restricted areas include from the U.S.-Mexico border to 50 statute miles south of the border. This restriction includes, but is not limited to, the communities of: Tijuana, Nogales, Cuidad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Acuna, Piedras Negras, Reynosa, Matamoras, Las Palomas, Agua Prieta, Sasabe, Naco And Sonoyta.

While on a cruise ship, servicemembers under Air Force command who want to exit the vessel in either a restricted or non-restricted area of Mexico must have prior approval through their commander. If the traveler exits the ship in either area without permission it would be a direct violation of the order and a line-of-duty determination would be made.

Official DOD travel to the areas mentioned is limited to mission-essential travel only.

Permission to allow servicemembers or DOD employees to reside in Mexico remains at the discretion of the service components, defense agencies and DOD field activities.

All other areas of Mexico not specifically addressed, though not off limits for official or unofficial travel, require the first O-6 in the chain of command to approve individuals visiting these areas in Mexico for any reason.

This travel directive applies to all active duty and reserve component personnel in title 10 status under AFNORTH. It also applies to DOD civilians, DOD dependents and DOD contractors (as long as it does not violate any terms of the contract) when traveling in an official capacity.

DOD civilians, DOD dependents and DOD contractors traveling for non-official purposes are strongly urged to abide by all travel prohibitions and advisories.

"We highly encourage government civilians to follow the guidelines set by the military," said Frank Sporer, Edwards Senior Antiterrorism officer. "That includes our contractors. If a contractor, or anybody who calls our office, we will give them an update and pull up all the things that have happened in that region and we'll show them what they're getting into."

Airmen who have family in Mexico and want to visit must contact their unit antiterrorism representative first to get the O-6 approval process started.

Mr. Sporer said that process takes a minimum of two weeks and should be started as soon as possible.

Team Edwards members seeking more information on Mexico, or who would like to read the AFNORTH directive, can talk to their unit antiterrorism representatives or call the Antiterrorism Office at 277-4004, -4009.

Further information on traveling in Mexico can be found at the State Department's website at www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_5440.html.

"If you wanted us to give you a briefing on going to Mexico, our recommendation is don't go," Mr. Sporer said.