Customs inspectors make the flight home safer

Photo By Sgt. Laura Bonano | Lance Cpl. Joshua Wilson, a native of Dilkon Navajo Nation, Ariz., prepares to dump his duffel bag for customs inspectors aboard Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, March 27. Only 10 percent of units must be completely inspected before flying due to the new scanners being used at the facility, compared to 100 percent in previous months.  

HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

04.16.2012

Story by Sgt. Laura Bonano 

Regional Command Southwest

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Service-members heading home from deployments face a long trip ahead of them, but military police, with the 463rd MP Company, out of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., make the trip a little smoother and safer with a new customs process.

Fifteen soldiers are the customs inspectors for personnel leaving base, headed to a transit center at Manas International Airport. The inspectors must check baggage and cargo before service members go on any aircraft.

There were no scanners used at the flight line to scan bags for prohibited items when the team first arrived for the mission during December. Initially, the requirement was 100 percent bag dump, meaning every service member heading out had to take all items out of their baggage for the team to inspect individually.

“We’ve had the scanners for about three months now, so the first month was a challenge,” said Staff Sgt. Keleen Wilson, a customs inspector and squad leader with the unit. Every single service member had to empty two or three duffel bags or rucks sacks for the inspectors to go through.

Wilson, a native of Malden, Mo., said her team built the facility from the ground up, adding tables at the scanners and wooden stations for the 10 percent of service-members who must complete a bag dump.

Many service-members aren’t aware of what they can’t bring on the aircraft. Alcohol, ammunition, brass casings from ammunition, powders and rocks are some of the prohibited items. Some service members are surprised they can’t have lithium batteries, said Wilson.

“Most of the Marines, they come from smaller forward operating bases and when they used to go straight to Manas, they wouldn’t have enough time to get rid of ammunition,” said Wilson.

At the customs station on the base, service members can place contraband in an amnesty box. If they posses the items at Manas, they could get in trouble, said Wilson.

Sergeant Eugene Perez, a customs inspector on the team said the scanners have made a big difference.

“The scanners spot out any rounds, you can see it clear as day on the screen,” said Perez.

The process took three hours or more for units to go through without the scanners, but now it only takes two.

Perez also works with the team to inspect cargo from units heading home. The departing unit contacts customs and a day is scheduled to go through the equipment and put the stamp of approval on it.

First Sgt. Robert Slaba, with the South Dakota National Guard 200th Engineer Company, who will soon head home with his unit, said he doesn’t mind the extra work of laying gear out for customs to inspect. He said it is for the safety of his own troops as well as important for the environment.

“One of the important things with customs is to make sure there is no foreign foliage or material that gets put in the cargo, which might contaminate some of the agricultural features in the States,” said Slaba.

Wilson said she learned a new skill set working with customs, but the job is harder than it seems. She said some service members don’t understand why they can’t bring certain things home, but it’s her job to brief them and enforce the regulations.

As service-members leave Camp Leatherneck, some may be upset they can’t take a pet rock home, but they can rest assured Wilson and her team did their best to ensure they make it home safe and now a little bit quicker.

• Date Taken: 04.16.2012
• Date Posted: 04.16.2012 10:02
• Story ID: 86807
• Location: HELMAND PROVINCE, AF