The Army is in the midst of hiring nearly  200 gate guards at Joint Base Lewis-McChord as the second phase of converting nearly 3,100 installation access-control-point security guard positions across the nation from contractor to federal-employee status begins.

The first phase, which must be completed by Sept. 30, has seen 1,702 job announcements being advertised at 28 garrisons. The second phase, which will be completed by July 26, 2011, will consist of the remaining 18 garrisons and 1,397 positions.

Overall, Installation Management Command is filling 3,099 openings for guards needed at every garrison, except those aligned under Base Realignment and Closure or those transitioning to joint bases where another service is the lead agency.

The conversion is being made due to congressional mandates and the expected loss of a waiver established after 9/11 that allowed the Department of Defense to contract security guard services at military installations in the U.S., said Craig Shreiner, branch chief of physical security for IMCOM, in a press release.

The contract for the civilian-owned company currently operating the gates at Lewis-McChord ends Oct. 1, said Larry Freeman, chief of installation access at JBLM.

The Army has already filled about 35 percent of the gate guard positions at Lewis-McChord, and the hiring process will continue throughout the end of the year, he said.

The positions will be posted on the Army's Civilian Personnel online site (www.cpol.army.mil) or USA Jobs (http://usajobs.opm.gov/), where applicants can search using the key words "security guard."

"We expect to continue reposting the job until all the positions are filled," Freeman said.

There is a hiring preference for prior military members for the position.

Pre-employment requirements include a passing a medical screening and a background check. Those who are selected must then pass a physical agility test, which includes (for men and women) the ability to run 1.5 miles in 17 minutes, 30 seconds, run 300 meters in 81 seconds, and do 21 pushups in two minutes and 29 sit-ups in two minutes.

Applicants must also pass a military police qualification course, which includes shooting from various positions, Freeman said.

The basic guard position salary starts at $29,865 per year, while a lead guard starts at $33,414. Since the gates are manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the positions will include night shift and weekend work, Freeman said.

Freeman also expects there to be a certain amount of turnover once all the positions are filled, so applicants should keep checking both sites for the job posting.

McChord Field's civilian gate guard contract expires in October 2011, and the job opening will be posted again when hiring for those positions commences.

"We're gradually increasing the footprint of the Army guard," Freeman said.