RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — In an effort to curb misconduct by military dependents, the 435th wing commander is wielding one of the most serious disciplinary tools available to him: Barring them from bases, or base debarment.

In about the last six months, Col. Don Bacon has barred 11 individuals from entering all military installations in Europe.

In addition, a handful of family members have been ordered to complete community service under parental supervision, undergo mandatory drug testing, and other penalties, in lieu of being barred.

Most of those punished were school-age dependents involved with drug use and distribution, destruction to property, theft and assaults, according to Bacon.

"We want to have a high standard here at Ramstein," he said in a recent interview. "Part of having a high standard is holding people accountable."

While Bacon said he’s unsure whether the incidents point to an increase in teenage drug use, he can say with certainty that base debarments are on the rise.

"I thought it was important to get the word out that this can happen and has happened," Bacon said, "and it was important for families to talk to their kids. Some of the parents I talked to … didn’t seem to be aware that their child could get barred or receive community service …"

For criminal acts on or off base, family members and civilians can be subjected to a variety of punishments from military officials, including a letter of warning, revoked base shopping privileges, community service, base debarment and early return to the United States.

Base experts convene as needed to review civilian misconduct cases and determine appropriate consequences. Last year, 148 individuals went before the group, deferring to the wing commander for a final decision when a base debarment is recommended.

Bacon said he prefers to hand out a suspended debarment with community service for more serious, first-time infractions. But for three students, their crimes merited outright debarment, he said.

"They were involved in the distribution of drugs; getting it and sharing it with their friends or selling it," Bacon said.

Four other school-age dependents, barred for drug use, had been in trouble before, for which they had received a suspended debarment, Bacon said.

Marijuana was involved in most of the recent drug cases, he said.

An installation debarment served by a commander extends to all military installations throughout Europe, as specified in an April 2002 agreement between European component commanders, according to base officials at Ramstein.

Most of the school-age dependents were barred for either one or two years. Barred dependents of retired or active-duty military members lose all their base privileges, with the exception of medical treatment.

For students, it also means relinquishing school attendance. At least two of the barred school-aged dependents were high school seniors who will not graduate with their peers, according to Bacon. Among the others, one was in middle school and one was home-schooled.

Most families of the barred dependents already lived off base, Bacon noted, and were able to make arrangements to continue their schooling from home.

Maggie Menzies, a Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Europe spokeswoman, said when students are barred, DODDS is required to help them continue with their education.

That can include facilitating stateside correspondence courses, arranging teacher visits, allowing parents to pick up homework assignments, or assisting with homeschooling efforts, among other options, Menzies said.

She added that DODDS-Europe does not centrally track how many of its former students are finishing their studies outside of school because they’ve been barred.

"They are no longer enrolled in DODDS," Menzies said.

For lesser or first-time offenses, some students received more than a 100 hours of community service and mandatory drug testing and counseling, in lieu of being barred, Bacon said.

The base has improved its community service program in the past eight months, Bacon said. The work, which often includes base beautification, must be done in four-hour increments, every Saturday and Sunday, with parental supervision for school-age dependents.

Barring a dependent from military installations is never an easy decision, Bacon said.

"I spend about two days on each one," he said. "It tugs at my heart."

As a father of four, Bacon said he’s empathetic and knows that parents do care for their kids. "But I also know that the rest of the children and … parents deserve a community that’s safe, drug-free, and that’s a higher obligation there."