By: Area51HQ
Area 51 Headquarters
On this page: Cammo Dudes | The Chase | The Helpers
Cammo Dudes
What would a secret base be without security? Area 51 certainly does have its way to keep the prying eyes of the public away. Everything from surveillance cameras to the underground forces known as the Cammo Dudes exist there.
The Cammo Dudes are the security guards who patrol the perimeter for any unwanted visitors. Since they officially do not exist, people started calling them "Cammo Dudes" as a reference to their camouflage fatigues. If you go to the border of the base, you can usually see the Cammo Dudes watching you from nearby hills. They are usually in well-armed two man teams using high-powered binoculars. The Cammos drove tan colored Broncos and Blazers until August 1993. Then it was white Jeep Cherokees until the summer of 1999. Now it is brown Ford F-150s.
There was a time when the Cammo Dudes used to patrol all the way to highway 375 harassing visitors on public land. With all the publicity the base has gotten recently, they now stay in the restricted area most of the time. As long as you are on public land, the Cammo Dudes will not bother you. Once in a while, if they are bored, the Cammo Dudes will drop by and say "hi" like they did to me once.
During July 1999, I was with my father at the perimeter on Groom Lake Road. On our way down there a man in a suit driving a Suburban passed up on Groom Lake Road. We waved and he waved back. The man in the suit turned on one of the nearby dirt roads and stopped his suburban. It looked as if he was observing our vehicle. We thought nothing about it and went on to the border.
When we got there, a group of about six people were there taking pictures and looking around. They told us that a man in a suit, driving out of the restricted area, stopped his car and looked around. He told the group, "this is pretty interesting stuff, isn't it?" He got back into his vehicle and left. It was obvious that he was a worker from the base, but posing as a tourist is hilarious. This man was driving his own vehicle and in a suit. He must have had a high security clearance. I am not sure if this had anything to do with "the chase" but I thought it was funny.
The Chase
The Helpers
A Blackhawk security helicopter will sometimes fly the perimeter of the base to further assist the Cammo dudes. If the Cammo Dudes lose sight of you, they will call the chopper to help find you. I never had the pleasure of witnessing one of these, but maybe if I play hide and seek with the Cammo Dudes I will.
A particularly interesting security device is the magnetic sensor. These sensors are in a plastic capsule about six inches long and buried beside the road. The capsule contains the batteries. A paint bucket shaped container contains the transmitter. The wires running off to either side lead to sensors that are buried a few feet apart on the roadside. These sensors transmit signals as someone passes.
As you can see, it is impossible to "break" into Area 51. This would lead to immediate arrest and a fine of at least $600. If you are caught wandering across the border, the Cammo Dudes can legally shoot you (although this has never happened). So the best bet is to NOT cross the border under any circumstances.
Copyright 2001 by Area 51 Headquarters.
As we were leaving the border of the base, the Cammo Dudes wanted to play a little game of Cat and Mouse. While the car was moving, the Cammos started slowly moving down from the top of the hill. My dad would stop the car, then they would stop. This starting and stopping went on for about three more times. After we lost view of them we decided just to leave. From around the hill I saw the Cammo Dudes coming straight at us. We were going about 35m.p.h. and they must have been going about 60-70m.p.h. The Cammo Dudes tailgated our vehicle, then tried to pass us up. When they were next to us it was almost like a drag race. Then the Cammos finally past us up. Somehow they blew a lot of dust and gravel at our vehicle. I caught a great picture of them as they passed us up. This was an amazing experience because the Cammo Dudes do not try to scare people away anymore. Usually they stay on the restricted land and you will be all right as long as you are on public land. Harassing people on public land was a regular occurrence until about 1995. This event happened in the summer of 1999, which made it unique. Maybe they were just bored.
The border area is a haven for remote sensors. Everything from surveillance cameras, magnetic trip sensors, and optical sensors can be found guarding the base. There are rumors they can smell you coming. There may be aroma sensors that can differentiate between the perspiration given off by animals and humans.
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