Off-limits list warns military members of dangerous locations Published Oct. 17, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Stephan Coleman 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board has deemed certain businesses and locations in the Mississippi Gulf Coast area as unsafe and subsequently, off-limits to military members. As of Sept. 30, all armed forces personnel assigned to Keesler, the Naval Construction Battalion Center and Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport are restricted from Ya-Ya's and Club Veaux in Biloxi, Herbal Alternatives and Rooney's Irish Pub in Gulfport, and Bunksmall Apartments in Pascagoula. "It is very important for our military members to know which establishments are off-limits," said Maj. Brian Fitzpatrick, 81st Security Forces Squadron commander. "These establishments have been assessed and deemed to be under conditions which may adversely affect the health, safety, morale and discipline of our armed forces personnel." Those who violate this order may be subject to the Uniformed Code of Military Justice, under Article 92: failure to obey a lawful order or regulation. "The populated list is a lawful order from the base commander," said Doug Wickline, 81st SFS investigator. "The AFDCB determines which facilities may not be safe environments for military members." Businesses on each off-limits list are notified via certified mail, given the reasons for their inclusion on the list and supplied with potential resolutions. Admission to the list is not permanent and there are many reasons a business or location might be labeled as off-limits. "We do assessments on locations for which we receive reports," said Wickline. "When conducting the assessments, there are several things that we take into consideration - if there is a lack of discipline or disorder; prostitution; sexually-transmitted diseases; liquor violations; racial or discriminatory practices; alcohol and drug abuse; drug paraphernalia; criminal or illegal activity involving cults, hate groups, or gangs; unlisted gambling, and any areas susceptible to terrorist activity, unfair commercial or consumer practices, and basically any other undesirable condition deemed unsafe or which may adversely affect the health and wellbeing of military personnel and their families." Local police departments act as advisors to the 81st SFS investigators in reviewing possible dangerous areas in the local community, but reports can come from other base offices or even individual military members who are concerned. "We can get the information from anywhere," said Wickline. "But we would follow it up with an assessment and get with the local police department to determine if the reports are true, and then bring our factual findings to the board so that they can make a decision." Once a business is added to the list and notified, the owner is allowed a certain window of time to alter the environment of their business before the off-limits list is finalized. Certain improvements, like uniformed guards and better lighting, can minimize criminal activity, said Wickline. "We realize that not all crime can be stopped," he added. "But business owners are responsible for their patrons." Business owners are allowed to appeal to the AFDCB to plead their case and be removed from the list. A new off-limits list is issued each quarter to keep military personnel informed and safe.