Widespread DoD Base Entry Sticker Theft Reported [Al Qaeda Chatter Indicates December Action]

Soldiers for the Truth.Org -'The Voice of the Grunt' ^ | Nov. 23, 2002 | Paul Purcell and Col. David Hackworth

[ewing]

It has come to our attention that DoD decals have gone missing from a mulitiude of personally owned vehicles. This has not been happening in one particular location either. Theft reports of these base entry stickers have filtered in from a number of areas across the country.

We don't know to what extent this has been reported or dealt with, but we felt it was important enough to put the word out as a warning, a brainstorm topic and a request for action.

We have to consider the fact that not all installations have been hit as hard as others.Therefore reports are not filtering up as they should and conseqently the reactions of the powers that be,especially since the passage of the Homeland Security bill is causing everyone to focus on all the new restructuring, will be slow to take place. It may also be that the only bases aware of this potential theft are the ones that have experience an actual decal theft.

Recently intercepted Al Qaeda internet chatter and other indicators seem to indicate that something is being planned for December. We [at Voice of the Grunt] have no official word on this but indications do exist. What better way to disrupt any sort of reaction than do create a distraction in the very midst of our seemingly secure military installations?

The decals reported stolen have been the external, on the bumper decals than can be easily 'sweated' off. For bases that allow it, a clear adhesive laminate sheet, one that extends an inch or two beyond the edges of the decal, should be placed over the decal makng it much more difficult to remove.

[ewing]

God bless our brave men and women at their posts

[Illbay]

Internet Legends are fun.

[ewing]

It looks like the little ghouls have deicded to rear their ugly heads up again..

[archy]

More *Internet Legend* here.

[archy]

Base sticker theft at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. [USAF]

[CindyDawg]

I have two sons in the navy and both have stickers on their cars but each time I have visited they and everyone in the car have had to show IDS at both bases.

[ewing]

Looks like these little buggers are probing our security weaknesses again..(outside decal military Dod stickers on personal vehicles and such)

[SLB]

I have to show a picture ID going thru the Ft Knox gates every time I go to work. We even have to show them when traveling in government vehicles, both administrative and tactical, it does not matter if you are in uniform or civilian clothes. It looks like this article wants to breed some unfounded fear.

[ewing]

The article makes that point and requests a security password code that could change differently each day.

[ewing]

Funny how that Tennessee case didn't make the national news..

[Illbay]

And when the kids come out the next day to look at their car, there's a horrible HOOK dangling from the door-handle!!!

[Bryan24]

No Internet legend. In Huntsville, Alabama at Redstone Arsenal, we have had a least 2 instances of someone trying to steal the decal off of vehichles. One was while a woman was in the post office.

We have been alerted to this for months, officially. No joke here.

[harpseal]

The local bases also demand the full military id just to get into the non-secure part of the base (barracks and admin area). However, that part of the base is not secure. The decal alone would not do it.

What I would worry about is picture id being stolen with a different piclture substituted or counterfiet picture id in combination with decals to allow entry. Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[American in Israel]

Every tried to scrap a base sticker off of your car? You ain't getting it off in one piece. Once that sticker is on the car for a week, you will need a razor blade and a bunch of elbow grease. When you get done you have sticky shreds...

[pabianice]

The decals reported stolen have been the external, on the bumper decals than can be easily 'sweated' off. For bases that allow it, a clear adhesive laminate sheet, one that extends an inch or two beyond the edges of the decal, should be placed over the decal makng it much more difficult to remove.

Having had DOD decals for a long time, I can say this is disinformation. DOD decals cannot be "sweated off" as the adhesive is water insoluable. Further, they are made of a material that disintegrates if removed.

[Mr Rogers]

That was true when they put them on bumpers. Now we put them on windshields. I've removed my own intact when selling a car. And yes, there have been stickers stolen over the last year - but I don't know if that is unusual or not. In any case, it won't help someone get on any active duty base I've been at since 9/11.

[LasVegasMac]

My thoughts also.

I remember taking off - or at least trying - a sticker when I sold a car to someone non-military.

Nothing but shreds.

LVM

[ewing]

Is it possible that they are targeting longtime service people with decals that still may be valid?

[OldFriend]

Overseas bases require identification, they search the auto over under and in between. No base waves anyone through just on the strength of a sticker.

[archy]

That was true when they put them on bumpers. Now we put them on windshields.

Worse, where they previously went on the inside of the windshield, where they were at least somewhat more difficult for a hasty thief's removal, the new *more secure* ones go on the outside where they're more vulnerable wnen the vehicle is unattended. Someone is either not thinking, or is deliberately trying to make things easier for the thieves.

[FreedomPoster]

Glad to hear that, actually.

I know mom hardly goes to Knox any more, it's more convenient to just go to Target and Kroger in E-town. I think that was even before 9-11.

[Long Cut]

I'm active duty Navy, thanks everyone for your goodwill and support. Now, allow me to comment on this.

I don't know how the Air Force and Army do their base stickers, but ours are on the windshield, not the bumper, and are impossible to remove without shredding them with a razor. Additionally, there are four stickers, not one, for the registration number, month and year of expiration, and individual base. Moreover, ID cards MUST be shown to the gate guards upon entry, and the photo MUST match the person holding it or a search of the vehicle results.

Next week, my own base goes to barcode stickers, which will purge all old and out-of-date sticker numbers from the system.

Once again, let me reiterate: the stickers are designed to be unusable if removed. They are MADE to shred if removed. This is the straight dope, at least as far as the Navy is concerned.

Thus, I have to view this report with skepticism, unless of course the Army and Air Force have different stickers, but those I have seen of theirs look the same to me.

And they haven't been placed on bumpers since the '80s.

Just adding some personal perspective here. Don't believe EVERYTHING you read...

[archy]

Is it possible that they are targeting longterm service people with decals that may still be valid?

I'm aware of one base commander whose windshield decal was stolen, and I'd certainly describe him as a individual with *longterm service.* Whether it was an act of terrorism or some sort of prank is open to question, but his vehicle was entered without damage while locked, his authentic decal removed, and a replacement made from a photograph of his original was substituted in hopes the loss wouldn't be spotted. If the commander's daughter hadn't been driving his car and gotten the windshield cracked following a *leaky load* gravel truck too closely, necessatating the replacement of the windshield, the phony might not have been spotted.

-archy-/-

[FreedomPoster]

>>Nothing but shreds.

I remember the same, and this was ~25 years ago as a teenager. Post sticker removal was a dad-assigned chore when we PCS'd or sold a car.

[FreedomPoster]

>>Next week, my own base goes to barcode stickers

Good. To spell out the obvious for those not familiar with this type of system, the way this will work next is:

1) Gate guard scans barcode on vehicle or personal ID.

2) Information request made to back-end database.

3) Back-end database serves up picture of vehicle / person / people associated with that vehicle.

4) Non-match = people with some explaining to do.

A positive development.

[Neets]

The Army has started using the windows for stickers post 9/11.

Regardless, the stickers themselves are made to be durable and to shred when attempting to remove them, as you stated.

And at least the post where I work uses the same 4 piece sticker as you site.

[Neets]

The Army has started using the windows for stickers post 9/11.

Regardless, the stickers themselves are made to be durable and to shred when attempting to remove them, as you stated.

And at least the post where I work uses the same 4 piece sticker as you site.

[Jumpmaster]

I have removed ,intact,DoD stickers from vehicles sold, turned in stickers to register replacement vehicles. All lifted stickers were obviously distorted, easily spotted if attempted to put on another car.

[Capt. Tom]

Thus, I have to view this report with skepticism,....

Just make up counterfeit stickers. Why take the chance of being caught removing a sticker and alert the authorities? - Tom

[earplug]

The dumb thing about our military base is there is no follow up acountability to insure that the issued sticker is actually applied on the correct vehicle. Or you get a new windsheld and go get another new sticker. There is not a requirement to show the old sticker.
So your contracted government person gets a government sticker, then sells it to a bad person. Our state emission sticker had better security then the government stickers.

[FreedomPoster]

They used to just shred, not distort. And that was carefully scraping with a new single-edged razor blade, from a chromed-steel bumper. I remember sticking the pieces to an index card for turn-in.

[Spyder]

The Army has started using the windows for stickers post 9/11.

Most of the posts we've been at have had window stickers, though I think Sill had them on the bumper (time frame 1985-88). Schofield has had the window ones since at least our first tour in 1994. As long as we're at Alpha, though, all that's needed is the sticker. When we go to Bravo, we have to produce IDs. The Air Force and Navy require the IDs usually, though.

[TSgt]

Amen brother!

I've got one on my car now that's a little over a year old and it is already cracking and chipping. I've never been able to get my old one off without tearing it to hell.

[Pookie Me]

Don't believe EVERYTHING you read...

WHAT? Whadya mean it's not true??!?! Next you'll be telling me not to believe scuttlebutt...

I remember buying my porsche from this ex-navy pilot in Rancho San Diego, I gave him the check, he took out the razor blade and started away. At the time, I was really bummed, 'cause I was in the Reserves, and it took a really long time to reregister the car. You know, waiting in line for a whole hour! Who'da thunk it important, anyway?

Pookie & ME

[FRMAG]

When at Ft Drum this summer I had the old retired ID card and the MPs really gave me a hard time because most of those NUGs did not recognise the card as valid though it had an indefinate expiration date. I finally gave in and got one of the new ID cards.

MPs carrying M4s in collapsed mode on Isreli style patrol slings from the way the weapons hung I'm reasonably sure that they had full thirty round mags up the well.

The ID checkers were armed with 9MMs but covered at all times by the others. These kids were on edge!

[concerned about politics]

Could they use the "pieces" they scrape off to make reasonable copies or forgeries that are visually exact? If they can fake IDs, why not stickers?

[Recovering_Democrat]

TWO WORDS:URBAN LEGEND

[jimtorr]

I have to go to Fort Meade occaisonally, and got a placard rather than a sticker. I place the placard on the left side of the dash. Of course, the MP ignores the plackard and just looks at my ID.

Ft Meade had started to beef up perimeter security even before 9/11. Now they have guard houses with bullet-proof glass, concrete barriers and MP's with serious weapons covering the guard shack. They have machine guns and anti-tank rockets. Shoot, the guard shack even has air-conditioning.

I was once held up by a tour bus that took a wrong turn. The guards wouldn't let the bus go thru the gate to turn around, but made the driver turn around in the road in front of the gate. It took him ten minutes of backing and filling to get out.

[hattend]

Holy Crap! Those decals are impossible to get off your car in one piece. Every time I sold a car it took the better part of an hour to get the decal off...and that was in about 100 pieces.

I don't buy this story. Unless the decals are being stolen, unused, from Pass and ID on the base.

[elfman2]

Another BS report from a sensationalistic little web site that publishes columns by Hackworth.

[ImaGraftedBranch]

No base waves anyone through just on the strength of a sticker.

No, but I sure didn't mind getting saluted all the time from fellow airmen when I purchased a care from a Colonel, and didn't remove his rank insignia from the bummper!

[Squantos]

There are problems with any and all security that has a human being in the link. As to the little DOD stickers being stolen and then "reused".....my BS meter is pegged on that tale.

Stay Safe !

[rs79bm]

[Al Qaeda Chatter Indicates December Action]

And November, January, February, March, ... etc ....

But guess what, were goin' after their asses!!! ..... Hunt em' down and bring em' to justice!

[rs79bm]

Holy Crap! Those decals are impossible to get off your car in one piece. Every time I sold a car it took the better part of an hour to get the decal off...and that was in about 100 pieces.

Note to all service personnel:

IF you see a dirty ol' muslim man with a long beard and a big 'ol white hat attempting to drive through an entry point with a tattered and torn entry decal on his vehicle ..... immediately call back up .... we got a problem mister!!!

[ewing]

I'm trying to figure out why those particular stickers are so valuable to someone who is stealing them. Could it be that they are taking ID badges too?

[dalereed]

"Once that sticker is on the car for a week, you will need a razor blade and a bunch of elbow grease"

Stickers can be removed using a hair drier or heat gun if they are the paper or vinyl type.

[pepsionice]

Lets put this story to bed. You would have to pull out a knife and 'scrape' across the sticker to get it off. Any SP-MP at any military gate would immedately halt someone who had a badly scraped entry sticker. This story is totally bogus and seeks only to create false impressions. The only way that you could steal the sticker and be successful at using it...would be to steal the entire bumper. Now, if you folks start hearing of military folks having their bumpers stolen...I'd be worried. Otherwise, go back to the TV and catch up on Baywatch episodes!

[ewing]

Is it possible that the Islamonazis are targeting stickers that are less than a week old?

[sneakypete]

As to the little DOD stickers being stolen and then "reused".....my BS meter is pegged on that tale.

They can't be that hard to make and print-up. Used to be you needed the services of a professional printer to make fake ID and passes,but I suspect almost anybody can do it at home now on their home PC.