HAMPTON, Va., (WAVY) — As of May 1, Joint Base Langley-Eustis Commander Col. Clint Ross announced that the base access restrictions have been extended.
The extension comes about a week after Ross announced the renewal of the restriction of movement and public health declaration throughout JBLE. In addition, this time of the year is one of the highest operational times for military missions and traveling so in an effort to keep the spread of the virus down, base limitations are expected to continue.
“These restrictions are necessary to reduce the footprint on JBLE during our highest mission periods,” said military officials. “Protecting the health and safety of the base population, including service members, dependents, retirees, and civilians from potential exposure is vital to reducing community transmission while maintaining operational effectiveness.”
No major changes have been made to the original order and only mission-critical personnel will be allowed access to the base.
Retirees and Veteran Health Identification Card holders are only permitted entry on Monday and Tuesday, until further notice.
For purposes of the order, mission-critical personnel are considered all active duty, guard, reserve, government civilians, and contractors as identified by a supervisor or unit commander.
“While I understand these measures are inconvenient, this renewal is necessary to prevent risks against the invisible, deadly, and evolving COVID-19 threat,” said Ross. “We will continue to regularly evaluate the necessity of appropriate measures to protect the health and welfare of the JBLE community and achieve a downward trajectory of the COVID-19 threat.”
More information about JBLE base updates can be found online.
