Misconduct can Lead to Installation Barment Published March 17, 2009 By Col. Don Bacon 435th Air Base Wing commander RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- I take seriously my responsibilities as the Installation Commander to provide a safe and secure community for our patriots, families and schools, and am a firm believer that we are all accountable for our own actions. As such, I want to make it very clear that each sponsor is responsible for providing guidance, control and enforcement of the behavior of your family members and dependents. I bring this up because the KMC has recently experienced several cases of criminal activity by school-age dependents. Their actions include drug use and distribution, destruction to property, theft and assaults. As a parent and sponsor myself, I realize that these are not scenarios that anyone plans to take place. Yet as a result, sponsors and dependents alike are caught off-guard when they learn the severe consequences of such actions. As these cases come to light, I act swiftly yet fairly to stress upon these dependants (and their sponsors) that they will be held accountable for these criminal actions. I hope that by sharing this message I can provide dependents an additional deterrent to misconduct. A criminal offense places undue burden on sponsors, adds unnecessary stress to home and family life, and in some cases takes away the privilege to enter military installations and/or attend our tremendous DODDS schools. Over the last 3 months I held more than a dozen school-age dependants accountable for their indefensible personal choices. As a result, I served installation barment, which extends to all military installations throughout Europe, to 6 of the 12 school-age offenders. Two high school seniors are now forced to complete high school credits through distance learning and will not graduate with their peers. I have also barred a middle school student from the base. Other forms of punishment includes up to 150 hours of parentally-supervised Community Service, which involves base cleanup, ASACS counseling, and mandatory drug tests. I will not allow a few law-breakers to negatively impact the overall quality of life that those living in the KMC have come to expect. I urge each sponsor to talk with their dependents about the consequences of misconduct on and off the installation and the high standards we all except from of our KMC families. I thank you for the many sacrifices you willingly endure as members of our military. Have no doubt, I will support your efforts by providing a safe and secure community, to include our schools where the next generation of hope and dreams reside.