Story by Staff Sgt. Katherine Holt, 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE — The Bodcau Gate, located on the East Reservation, officially opened Dec. 2 in a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The ceremony marked the completion of the more than nine months of construction.
“Very rarely does a wing commander get to see a project from its infancy all the way to its completion,” said Col. Andrew Gebara, 2nd Bomb Wing commander. “It is really exciting to see that.”
The Bodcau Gate has been an idea for several years, and now the 2,000 residents of the East Reservation will have quicker access to the local community.
“What a great example of the teamwork and partnership the base has with the local communities that we could get together and get this gate open,” said Gebara. “This is going to be a big deal for the people of the local community and a big deal for the people of the base.”
Tech. Sgt. Cedric Colón, 26th Operational Weather Squadron weather forecaster, his wife Marivette and children Brian, Brianna and Christina, drove through the gate marking the official opening.
The Colón family has spent the last six years living on the East Reservation, and is excited for the conveniences the new gate will bring.
“It’s been great living on the East side,” said Colón. “The drive was always the worst part, but now the gate has alleviated the travel time off base.”
What once took residents 20 minutes to enter the local community will now take just a few.
“The first thing I noticed was a pharmacy right down the road,” said Marivette. “This is going to help tremendously when the kids are sick. I also noticed that we are so close to the highway which will cut down the commute to Bossier and Shreveport. This will make access to the local community easier and faster.”
Currently, the Bodcau Gate is open Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Active duty personnel, dependents, retirees and Department of Defense civilians have access to the gate. Commercial vehicles or people requiring a base pass must go through the visitor center, located at the main gate, to obtain access.
