Army Deserter and Civilian Woman Attempt to Enter MacDill Air Force Base with Fake IDs; Vehicle Contained Several Firearms and Ammunition
June 16th, 2010

Via: St. Petersburg Times:

The man and woman arrived at MacDill Air Force Base as it cleared out for the day. They slowed the sport utility vehicle and showed identification.

In the Honda were six guns, ammunition and military-style clothing. The man, active duty military, reportedly was absent without leave.

But the military security guard didn’t know that.

Only the IDs raised a flag. They appeared to be fake, base officials said Tuesday.

Authorities identified the pair who tried to enter the base’s Bayshore Boulevard gate about 5 p.m. Monday as Spc. Christopher Paul Kilburn, and Micah Goodier of Palm Beach County.

Kilburn had been stationed with Alpha Company, 1-16th 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan. He was charged with desertion and will be turned over to the Army.

The man would be under military jurisdiction, said MacDill spokesman Mark Graff.

But Goodier, a civilian, could wind up in federal court if prosecuted, according to Col. Dave Cohen, 6th Air Mobility Wing vice commander.

The pair’s motive for trying to get into the base with the guns is unclear, he said, but was not believed to be an act of terrorism.

Base officials will work with Kilburn’s chain of command to determine any possible charges against him, Cohen said.

Tuesday morning, the entrance gates at MacDill were open as usual and traffic was flowing.

“At no point was the security of MacDill Air Force Base breached,” Cohen said. “The system worked exactly as it was supposed to.”

The South Tampa base houses the headquarters of Central Command, which runs the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and Special Operations Command.

On May 19, an off-duty FBI agent shot and killed an Army veteran after a confrontation and chase at the base. The veteran had been visiting the base.

The FBI is reviewing that incident, and as of Tuesday that review had not been completed, said Tampa-based FBI spokesman David Couvertier.

More: Local Woman Arrested Trying to Break-In to Air Force Base

Via: 12 News:

Air Force officials released the names of the two people who tried to get into MacDill Air Force Base on Monday. Specialist Christopher Paul Kilburn of Kansas and his civilian companion, Micah Noel Goodier who’s from Palm Beach County.

Officials say man, who was AWOL at the time, and the woman had three rifles, three handguns and loads of ammunition in their sport utility vehicle when they tried to enter the base.

Investigators say this is not an attempted terrorist act, but have not explained why they were trying to drive in with fraudulent military id’s and a cache of weapons.

The base was already on edge after An FBI agent fatally shot a veteran at the base last month after an altercation.

CBS 12 spoke to Micah Goodier’s brother Tuesday night via Facebook. Jace Goodier says his sister, who hails from West Palm Beach, has been released to the custody of her husband.

He did not know what she was doing with that man who is now being charged with desertion.

He also has no idea why she would try to break into an Air Force base.

Oh, I've got to tell you one of my favorite funnies.

We lived for a time in Killeen, TX---Ft. Hood, to you.  Our telephone number was only one digit off from the cab company so we sometimes got their calls.  One evening a guy called wanting a cab and while he waited for me to find the cab company number, he asked what there was to do for a night life.  

I told him I didn't know since I had nothing to do with the night life.  Then I told him he could break into the fort, play war games, get himself shot.  There was a full minute of dead silence.  Then a small, little voice said, "No, thank you."