The U.S. Military Academy’s Provost Marshal’s office is advising all community members to comply with post vehicle registration requirements by Oct. 1 or face the consequences.

"The PMO plans to take more proactive measures to enforce compliance starting Oct. 1," said Maj. Brian R. Bisacre, the USMA deputy provost marshal.

Bisacre said the academy has always had a vehicle registration policy, but that not everyone has always complied with that policy. Now, a Department of the Army directive is urging post-wide compliance on all installations.

"DA is placing more emphasis on vehicle registration," Bisacre said.

Beginning Oct. 1, MPs will step up random checks for DoD decals at the installation access gates, Bisacre said. Various checks will also be conducted of parking areas around the installation, he added.

"The military police will be looking for vehicles that display a West Point parking pass but do not have DoD decals," Bisacre explained.

The MPs at the gate will stop those found to be non-compliant and take down the driver’s name and place of duty, he said. In the parking areas, the same information will be tracked and recorded via the parking pass number. Violators will be reported to their major activity director and could also be subject to a citation.

"This policy is not unique to West Point, it is a requirement CONUS-wide," Bisacre stressed. "Our goal is to educate the community on the importance of vehicle registration and its importance to the overall installation security and access control plan," he said.

Maj. Charles Rumrill, the installation security officer, agrees.

"Vehicle registration is a key component to installation security," he said. "World events have caused an increased emphasis on security and DoD vehicle registration for all who live and work at West Point is just smart business."

The vehicle registration section of the Provost Marshal’s Office is located in building 616. It is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.

To register motorcyles or mopeds, the drivers must have also completed the Army motorcycle safety course.

Bisacre said for those who are concerned about placing decals on their vehicle’s bumpers, that’s a thing of the past.

"The Department of Motor Vehicles granted West Point permission to place vehicle registration decals on the upper left side of the windshield," he explained. "The new placement policy went into effect August 1."

Those with decals currently on the bumpers can either keep them or remove them and get new ones at the PMO, Bisacre said.

"Old decals from previous duty assignments, however, must be removed from the vehicle," he added.