Military Seeks Help from Biometrics to Secure Domestic BasesJanuary 29, 2009
 The U.S. military wants to expand the use of biometrics to improve security at domestic bases. Biometrics – the use of retinal and facial scans to identify people – is widely used in Iraq and Afghanistan to distinguish between friend and foe. But the security at bases on American soil might be far too porous, according Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of U.S. Northern Command. Bases on American soil – even those just 20 miles apart – have different identification requirements and procedures for personnel or contractors seeking access. Renuart, speaking at a biometrics conference in Washington, DC., said that military services and law enforcement agencies around the country all carry different ID badges. This can make it difficult for base guards to distinguish who is seeking unauthorized entry – especially since they deal with contractors, vendors and representatives from myriad federal agencies, according to a piece in Air Force Times. "ID cards give you data, but they don't necessarily give you all the right data. They don't give you access into a database that will allow you very quickly to discern whether this person is here legally or not" or if they are a criminal or someone who should not be allowed onto the base, said Renuart, the military commander in charge of domestic defense. "We've got to find a way to fix that." In a 2007 report, the Defense Science Board raised similar concerns about gaps in information sharing and coordination, the article notes. The board, a standing committee of outside experts, including retired military officers and former government officials, found that biometrics is growing in importance and while technology is improving, there is still more to be done. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Cohen A. Young/Released) |
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