U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) called for a review of security procedures at U.S. military installations today following a recent tragic shooting at Naval Station Norfolk in which a Navy petty officer was killed by a shooter who was apparently granted an access card despite a long and violent criminal record, including a previous conviction for manslaughter.
In a letter to the Secretaries of the Navy and Homeland Security, Sen. Warner asked for a briefing as soon as possible to address his concerns about government vetting and credentialing of civilian workers on military installations, including through the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card program. TWIC was established to provide a secure credentialing system for civilians requiring unescorted access to secure areas of certain facilities, including Naval Station Norfolk. However, multiple Government Accountability Office reports have documented concerns with the TWIC program, including ineffective data collection, weaknesses in the background check system, and problems with the card readers.
“Our military men and women who willingly serve in harm’s way overseas should have a reasonable expectation of safety on a U.S. military facility here at home,” Sen. Warner said. “I look forward to working with you to ensure we provide a safe and secure environment at our military installations.”
The text of the letter is available here.
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Chris Graham
