Arnold Air Force Base’s Visitor’s Center reopens with an improved configuration Published Oct. 19, 2012 By Philip Lorenz III AEDC/PA ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- Upon the completion of a recent reconfiguration project, Arnold Engineering Development Complex's (AEDC) Visitor Center will re-open for business Monday, Oct 22. "Our customers seeking base entry will have a more streamlined experience," said Dan Hawkins, AEDC Installation Security Section supervisor. "When it is their turn, they will go up to the counter and sit down and the entire transaction will take place in one spot. "There will no longer be a need to go to the back of the center to get a photo taken. The counter will be turned at a 90-degree angle to make better use of the existing space. For our customers requiring military ID cards or CACs [Common Access Cards], nothing will have changed, that service will be in the same location in the Visitor Center." Hawkins said the consolidation and new configuration will allow the Visitor Center's staff to facilitate visitors in a much smoother manner and reduce the processing and waiting time for the customer. "We had the Visitor Center's work stations reconfigured to facilitate customer access and prepare for the arrival of the Defense Biometric Identification System or DBIDS," he said. "Installation of this system is scheduled for Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, 2013." Hawkins added, "DBIDS does two different things. It proofs existing DOD credentials such as CACs and identification cards for dependents, retirees, and so forth. Secondly, this system produces a machine readable visitor credentials. So, when somebody pulls up to the gate, our officers will use hand-held scanner, similar to what you see in the grocery store, to scan the credential presented. "The officer will actually see a picture of the person, showing whether or not they are authorized to come on base." Hawkins said he has appreciated everyone's patience during the transition. For additional information, call Dan Hawkins at 931-454-5504.