Hi all,
This past weekend I was out taking some pictures on Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Norfolk, which happens to be right under the runway 23 arrival path at ORF. Now, I'm in the military, active-duty, so I obvioulsy was on the base legally. The base has a area for plane viewing (or at least, that's what I assumed it was, since it was in clear view of the arrivals path and had a parking area and what-not).
After about a half-hour or so, a MP drives by, notices me, I give him a friendly wave, he waves back, but then turns his cruiser around. He asks me what I am doing, I tell him - taking pictures, it's a hobby of mine and what not - it was obvious what I was doing, since I had my 400D in hand. What he then said is what bothered me...
He said I "needed permission" to take any photos on the base, and couldn't take pictures of anything relating to "national security" - I guess, with the Patriot Act, ANYTHING can be national security-related now days! I just couldn't understand the logic in his reasoning, and frankly, I think he didn't know WHAT he was talking about. He was actually the same rank as I - PO2, or E-5.
I mean, for one, I'm in the military, have been for five years, have been on a combat deployment overseas, and was on the base legally, not bothering anyone. I left anyway (AFTER I finished my lunch), and went to the other side of the fence, at Lake Whitehurst park, and didn't get bothered by anyone for the rest of the afternoon.
Meanwhile, in cases like Oceana's annual air show, they will let any and EVERYBODY on the base to photograph, first hand, and up close, some of America's highest valued "national security" assets! Meanwhile, on a clear winter afternoon, by myself, with my single camera in hand, with approved ACCESS to a military installation, I can't take a picture of a Delta MD-88. BoGuS!
(Hoists up bullsh*t flag)
Thoughts? Any similar experiences?
This past weekend I was out taking some pictures on Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Norfolk, which happens to be right under the runway 23 arrival path at ORF. Now, I'm in the military, active-duty, so I obvioulsy was on the base legally. The base has a area for plane viewing (or at least, that's what I assumed it was, since it was in clear view of the arrivals path and had a parking area and what-not).
After about a half-hour or so, a MP drives by, notices me, I give him a friendly wave, he waves back, but then turns his cruiser around. He asks me what I am doing, I tell him - taking pictures, it's a hobby of mine and what not - it was obvious what I was doing, since I had my 400D in hand. What he then said is what bothered me...
He said I "needed permission" to take any photos on the base, and couldn't take pictures of anything relating to "national security" - I guess, with the Patriot Act, ANYTHING can be national security-related now days! I just couldn't understand the logic in his reasoning, and frankly, I think he didn't know WHAT he was talking about. He was actually the same rank as I - PO2, or E-5.
I mean, for one, I'm in the military, have been for five years, have been on a combat deployment overseas, and was on the base legally, not bothering anyone. I left anyway (AFTER I finished my lunch), and went to the other side of the fence, at Lake Whitehurst park, and didn't get bothered by anyone for the rest of the afternoon.
Meanwhile, in cases like Oceana's annual air show, they will let any and EVERYBODY on the base to photograph, first hand, and up close, some of America's highest valued "national security" assets! Meanwhile, on a clear winter afternoon, by myself, with my single camera in hand, with approved ACCESS to a military installation, I can't take a picture of a Delta MD-88. BoGuS!
(Hoists up bullsh*t flag)
Thoughts? Any similar experiences?
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