As U.S. military installations and offices around the world progress further with the implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD 12), supplier access to these locations is beginning to get tighter than the proverbial camel's sphincter in a sandstorm.

In spite of the fact that we've had presentations on base access at every meeting of the American Logistics Association (ALA) for the last several years, followed by speeches from Department of Defense (DoD) officials, followed by sign-up sessions for new credentials, accompanied by the requisite background checks and payments —

In spite of numerous memos sent to DoD, from one DoD office to another DoD office, from DoD to Congress, from one Congressional office to another Congressional office, from Congress to DoD, and vice versa, and after all the work on pilot tests with the FBI and the Federation for Identity and Cross-Credentialing Systems (FiXs), and the pilot test at Fort Belvoir, Va. —

... the military resale base access issue has just gotten worse, not better. Reports are now coming in of credentialed suppliers and quality-of-life representatives attempting to get on base on legitimate business, yet finding their FiXs credentials rejected, most recently at RapidGate sites.

Now, resale suppliers aren't alone in getting the bum's rush where FiXs credentials aren't recognized; the problem is spreading to other areas in the quality-of-life (QOL) spectrum.

We're not talking about a local pizzeria delivery security threat here. We're looking at whole truckloads of frozen pizzas, bread, soft drinks and potato chips, baby wipes, toilet tissue and tactical gear — whatever is needed for all the different stores, foodservice and MWR operations on base.

As the old song goes, “Yes, we have no bananas today!” “And by the way, sorry, no cookies, either; no energy bars, underarm deodorant, ketchup for the dining hall, nope! Sandwiches to go? No, sir! Diapers, baby food, cold medicine, milk — whatever a servicemember or military family member might need right now, we don't have that, either.” That's where this is headed.

According to a July ALA Executive Briefing, during a recent meeting between FiXs and Commander Navy Installations Command (CNIC) leadership, “It was clear from the meeting that there was a lack of understanding about the FiXs program and its capabilities.”

Similarly, we are also experiencing a “lack of understanding” — or rather we are at a loss for explanations. How, after five or six years of memos, caucuses, delegations, meetings and tests, can this possibly be?

But that's it in a nutshell. Apparently the organizations that seem to hold the most sway with the most installation commanders — CNIC and its sister-service counterparts — are the ones that have been most neglected when it comes to making the case for the importance of reasonably priced base access for industry resale and QOL personnel

It appears that ALA and FiXs let it get away from them; at this point, they may be trying to close the barn door after half the herd gallops over the field.

How it has come to this crisis after so much effort is anyone's guess. At FiXs, 29 of the 52 members (as of October 2009) are also members of ALA, yet none of the 29 has any voice or actual representation on the FiXs board, nor does ALA itself.

Defense powerhouses Lockheed and Northrop Grumman are FiXs members, but what do they have at stake when it comes to improving the fate of base access for resale or QOL suppliers? They may have the best radar in the world, but QOL base access does not seem to be on it.

After all, what is the likelihood of those companies having much of an issue getting on base to service an aircraft when the Wing Commander knows the asset will not leave the runway without Lockheed or Northrop Grumman's help?

Coming to grips with the problem must start at its nexus, the installation commanders and their bosses — installation management leadership, whether Navy, Army, Air Force or Marine Corps.

Do we have to wait for the CO's spouse to explain to him or her that there are no english muffins for breakfast today because the commissary shelves are mysteriously empty? ... That there is no toothpaste, juice, or snacks for the kids ... no rolls for the dinner table, no emergency supplies, no bottled water, and, yes, no bananas today!

Eventually we'll have barren stores, lost sales and dwindling MWR contributions.

That's the direction things are going. And the commander's spouse is just as likely to be in the dark as CNIC as to why it is happening, and as outraged as ALA found itself last month, when this lack of understanding was exposed

We are not anti-RapidGate, though we find their pricing somewhat prohibitive; if resale industry suppliers must pay these rates for access to all 250-plus commissaries and all 530-some exchanges, the cost of goods sold in commissaries and exchanges could definitely go up.

While there's no doubting the need for a secure yet affordable base access program, ALA needs to take the front seat in ensuring the resale and MWR communities are properly represented — both on the FiXs board and at the command level — before more deliveries are turned away, and more support personnel are prevented from performing their vital work. Without this, all QOL patrons on base suffer the consequences.

Base access should not come down to a turf war between competing I.D. card programs, with servicemembers and military families caught in the crossfire.