Customs clears the way for troops returning home

Published Feb. 15, 2013
By Tech. Sgt. Rachel Martinez
376th Air Expeditionary Wing

TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan -- "Welcome to customs..." These are the words every service member hears as they prepare to depart the Transit Center at Manas and head home.

The 376th Expeditionary Customs Processing Office is responsible for conducting all customs and border pre-clearance operations for all personnel here returning to the U.S., United States European Command or other customs territories of the U.S.

The 304th Military Police Battalion Detachment 5 is currently tasked to operate the customs processing office. The men and women of the 304th MP BN DET 5 are U.S. Army Reservists based out of Nashville, Tenn. Although they come from various military occupational specialties back home, when they are here, they are trained U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agents. To be qualified as CPBAs, the Soldiers trained with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency in Nashville and El Paso, Texas.

"As Customs and Border Patrol Agents, we are responsible for doing everything we can to ensure our troops are in accordance with all the regulations for flying and returning to the states," said U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Thomas Stribling, 304th MP BN DET 5 first sergeant. "There are about a dozen regulations to follow, including [Transportation Security Agency] and [U.S. Central Command] regulations."

The customs clearance process begins in what they call the "dirty yard." This is where troops report with their baggage that has not already been pre-screened. After receiving a briefing from one of the CPBAs detailing the process and prohibited items, troops are given a 15-minute amnesty period to dispose of any prohibited items they have with them.

"Most of the prohibited items are brought by mistake, or the troops didn't know they couldn't bring a certain item back with them," said Stribling.

Prohibited items often include items that are allowed in theater, but not in the U.S., or items bought at local bazaars.

"People sometimes get upset when we tell them they can't take something back to the states with them, but we're just enforcing the regulations," said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michael Dalton, 304th MP BN DET 5 operations NCO in charge.

Dalton often walks through the bazaar to make sure the items being sold meet the customs regulations. Restrictions on items usually apply to those made with natural materials. Dalton said he typically advises people to stick with wood and marble, or to make sure the item is finished and processed. And while certain types of fur are acceptable, he warns customers to watch out for other animal products.

"If they have a question, they can always come by customs customer service before their customs mission and check with us," said Dalton. "If we can work with them to clear the item for customs, then we will."

From the dirty yard, checked bags are cleared and moved to a secured yard where they wait to be loaded onto aircraft. Passengers and their carry-on bags move inside for screening. Much like a commercial airport, passengers and bags are scanned for prohibited items that could interfere with the safety of flight.

Once they are screened, passengers are given a customs declaration form and moved to a holding area where they will wait for their flight to depart.

"Our main goal is to have everyone through customs and to the passenger terminal four hours prior to departure," said U.S. Army Sgt. Jason Hulse, 304th MP BN DET 5 customs flight NCO in charge. "We run two missions for each flight; the first is for checked baggage and the second is for carry-ons and passengers. We're constantly checking flight trackers, looking for changes and making adjustments to our mission times."

Any adjustments are made to help make the onward movement process as efficient as it can be for troops. And efficiency is key for a 24-hour customs flight as busy as the one at the Transit Center. In the last year, customs has processed more than 200,000 passengers, screening as many as 1,900 in a single 24-hour period. The screening process does take time, requiring passengers to report for their flight much earlier than they would at a commercial airport, but it is a necessary requirement.

"Troops will go through customs at some point; if they don't do it here, then they will have to do it when they get off the plane in the U.S.," said Stribling. "The Transit Center is here to bring them out of theater and allow them to decompress. We do customs here as part of the pre-clearance process to expedite them getting home to their families. Our mission is to help get troops out of her - it's onward movement, or as I call it, homeward movement."