The Visitor Welcome Center can process requests for unescorted access on a same-day basis, but you can speed the process by filling out the appropriate form and submitting it to the VWC. Please note below that there are two different forms - one for contractors of civilian companies located at and supporting Fort Sill missions (Fort Sill Form 118), and another for post visitors (Fort Sill Form 118a).
Exceptions to this requirement include:
- Delivery trucks must access Fort Sill through Apache Gate. A special station for background checks will be available at that location. Fort Sill security personnel will recognize the DoD-issued Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) for access to post.
- Taxis - Taxi drivers must have a DoD I.D. card or a pass card. Admission to post will be denied to any passengers who do not have a DoD I.D. card or a pass card.
- Local buses - Bus drivers must have a DoD I.D. card or a pass card. Civilian passengers who do not possess a pass card will not be allowed to ride the bus through Fort Sill; they will be required to dismount the bus and be left at the gate. The Lawton Area Transportation System terminal will have several warning signs addressing that contingency.
When you have completed your application for a pass, mail or hand carry it to the VWC, T6701 Sheridan Road, Fort Sill, OK 73503. If you mail your application to post, when you arrive at post, go directly to the VWC and receive your pass.
The VWC is not open continuously. Consult the VWC web page for hours of operation.
NOTE: Because they are subjected to a background check, some requests for access will be rejected. In this instance, the center staff will attempt to contact the requester to inform them of the rejection. To appeal any access rejection, those parties should complete and mail or hand carry a Fort Sill Form 117, FS Access Control Denial Waiver Application. Details for completing the form are contained within the form. Completing an appeal form does not guarantee any person access to Fort Sill. Only after the form is received and the merits of the document considered will a determination be made. After that determination is made, the requester of the appeal will be notified as to its outcome.
For the protection of the personally identifying information contained on the completed forms, requestors should take prudent steps to ensure the forms (and information) do not fall into the wrong hands. Do not transmit the completed forms via unencrypted emails. Do not give the completed forms to a third party to transmit to the VWC. Do not send the completed forms to any other party at Fort Sill. For details on the PII required and handling of the completed forms by the VWC staff, please see the “SECURING YOUR DATA” link below. For your protection, you can download and print the Department of Defense Privacy Act Data Cover Sheet, DD Form 2923.
By submitting your form, you agree to a background check, which uses the National Crime Information Center Interstate Identification Index, a Federal Bureau of Investigation database that provides criminal histories from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The process of issuing pass cards at the VWC should take approximately 5-7 minutes per person. Failure to request access before arrival at the VWC may add significant time to the process, as the staff would have to enter data for the background check and wait for the results.
You can submit your request for access up to 30 days prior to your visit.
Individuals who wish to renew their pass card or replace a lost card must complete a access request form and the VWC staff conduct a new background check before a new pass card can be issued.
Individuals who wish to renew their pass card must complete a access request form and the VWC staff conduct a new background check before a new pass card can be issued. In order to conduct a background check, visitors and contractors should prepare a new request for access and submit the complete form to the VWC. The individual may submit their access request form to the VWC 30 days prior to their current card’s expiration date.