Town Hall meeting at Bragg reveals that two registered sex offenders reside on post

The Yntema Club on Fort Bragg was where Garrison Commander, Col. Stephen Sicinski, addressed ongoing issue resolution and reported on the outcome of recent issues brought forward at Thursday's Town Hall Meeting.

Besides representatives of the tenant organizations on Fort Bragg, members from Family Readiness Groups and community residents posed questions and concerns during the open forum.

Updates and a report from the Womack representative included that there are no zip code restrictions for patients to be seen at the new facilities off post. He also mentioned that the AMIC, Acute Minor Illness Clinics open after 4 p.m., will be closing and that the traditional clinics will have extended hours to 9 p.m.

Sicinski started off the meeting by assuring the population that Fort Bragg has been tracking the concern of sex offender registration on post since it popped up as a question on Facebook in the fall.

The mandate for registration is on the individual, not on Fort Bragg or law enforcement authorities. The convicted person is required to register themselves on a national registry and update their address each time they move.

Sicinski shared that there are currently two registered sex offenders on Fort Bragg. One being a single soldier living in the barracks, the other individual living in one of the post housing areas, which was not revealed. Their files are being screened next week and an adjudication will be made whether or not they need to move into off post housing.

"I have discovered that many of these cases were individuals convicted as minors," said Sicinski.

It is not uncommon for such infractions to remain on a person's record through adulthood, though the some find it odd.

The garrison commander led into the next topic that dealt with the current crack down for on post discipline for those not able to comply with the rules from conduct involving domestic disturbances to the ability to maintain the property standards expected of them.

"Living in on post housing is a privilege not a right," reiterated Sicinski. "With limited housing on the installation, only 21% of our families get the opportunity to live on post."

The other issue that Fort Bragg will be cracking down on is bad living. An example of this includes letting trash pile up and not taking care of the post property.

"My tolerance for that type of abuse has shrunk down to next to nothing also," said Sicinski. "You only get one chance and then I will put you on probation. If you continue to live poorly you'll be asked to leave post."

Along those lines the issue was brought up about imposing a curfew for youth in the on post housing neighborhoods. One resident said many times at midnight she has seen a twelve-year-old running around with a five-year-old sibling through the yards and disappear near the woods when the military police appear. Sicinski urged her to be persistent in calling the MP's and he assures her those families will be caught as they eventually narrow it down.

Other issues brought forth that are in the works for the Linden Oaks community included the site for a health care clinic to service those residents in the outlaying area north of Spring Lake. While it is imminent that a clinic will open, the details of the location are still pending.

Updates were reported on the Soldier Support Center nearing completion the moves that were planned. The idea for it was to put all customer service requirements to be on the first floor of the SSC. Parking will also improve in that area when 300-400 parking spaces are expected to be freed up with the move of other tenants currently inside the SSC that will be moving in the month of April.

Beverly Jackson from the USO reported that their move will be complete by late April to the first floor of the SSC in order to provide more of a focus on services and programs. There will still be a computer lab, but not the large recreation area like at the current facility.

Stay abreast with the upcoming changes through Fort Bragg's social media pages, and the Paraglide.