What You Now Have to do to Visit West Point

As of today (July 22, 2019) you will need to follow a new procedure for entering West Point if you do not have a Department of Defensive ID. West Point refers to these visitors as non-DOD and basically that would be you and me. In the past when visiting West Point you would arrive to the gate, meet with a member of the Military Police, present a form of ID, state your reason for visiting West Point and then be waved on sometimes after they have check the trunk of your car.

As of today when you arrive at West Point the process will be different unless the Superintendent of West Point has designate an event as a "special event". So what do you need to know? Simple, according to an article published July 10th by the U.S Army if you are a non-DOD visitor you will be required to check in at the Visitors Control Center daily from 6 AM until 10 PM to be issued Local Access Credentials in to enter West Point. This requirement will bring West Point into compliance with the Department of the Army access control requirements that already exist.

Officials at West Point are asking for people to be patient as they begin this process and to expect delays entering West Point. Visitors effected are those who are un-escorted who are visiting cadets, family, friends, the Hospital, sporting events, concerts and other programs not deemed special events. The article goes on to say that this also applies to companies who employees require access to West Point for business purposes such as delivery people.

People arrive after 10 PM will still need a background check but this will be done at Stony Lonesome Gate and only a 24 hour pass will be issued. You will still be required to obtain a pass at the visitor's center when it opens. Everyone who enters West Point will now undergo a background check through the National Crime Infromation Center -- Interstate Identification Index (NCIC-III)

At this point you might be asking yourself how does that work is I am attending a show at Eisenhower Hall or a concert or football game? According to the release the Superintendent of West Point can designate certain events as "special events" and this will reduce your access requirements back down to a driver's license or other government approved ID.

Below is a current list of those events:

Special events currently include:
• Fourth of July and Labor Day band concerts
• Graduation
• Home football games
• Ticketed sporting events like hockey and lacrosse
• Eisenhower Hall entertainment events and concerts.

Steps to follow are listed below and are directly from the article published July 10, 2019 from the U.S. Army.

Access Requirements:
Non-DOD visitors should download and fill out a Local Area Credential Request Form from the website. Visitors will then bring the form to the Visitor Control Center at 2107 New South Post Road, (West Point) located in Highland Falls, New York.

In addition to the form, visitors will need to bring a state-issued driver's license that complies with the Real ID Act of 2005. If you are from the State of Washington, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri or New Mexico or do not have valid driver's license, you will need one of the following:
• U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card
• Permanent resident card or Alien Registration Receipt Card (INS Form I-551)
• Foreign passport with a temporary I-551 stamp or temporary I-551 with a printed notation on a machine-readable immigrant visa
• Foreign passport with a current arrival-departure record or foreign passport with INS Form I-94/I-94A bearing the same names as the passport and containing an endorsement of the alien's nonimmigrant status, if that status authorizes the alien to work for an employer
• Employment authorization document that contains a photograph (INS Form I-776)
• Driver's license or identification card issued by a State or outlying U.S. possession that is Real ID compliant. For Washington and Minnesota, this is the Enhanced Driver License or Enhanced ID
• U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Card or Transportation Worker ID Card issued by DHS
• Native American tribal document
• U.S. Government issued, authenticated Federal PIV credentials
• For anyone under 18, a school ID card that contains a photo.
For more information, visit https://westpoint.edu/visiting-west-point or call the Visitor Control Center at 845-938-0390 or 845-938-0392.