Thank you -- you gave me the first good laugh I've had in a week.
I, too, work on a Federal installation.
When going into work in the dark early hours of Friday morning, the guard at
the gate doing vehicle searches told me that he wished all cars had interior
lights as good as those in my van (stock lighting system for a Westy).
-Eric
'80 Westy in Ogden, Utah
(The Campmobile Formerly Known As Vanagon Valdez)
<original message follows:>

From:    Joachim Beek <beekj@GHG.NET>
Subject: "It's a Volkswagen, isn't it?"

 I work at a federal installation.

 In light of the tragic events last Tuesday, security to get on-site has
 understandably increased tremendously, and includes vehicle searches
 now.  So I mosey up to the gate in my Vanagon and open all the doors.

 The two guards want me to open the tailgate, too and I do.  The one guy
 sees the cushion pad over the engine and looks under it.  Now he sees the
 mat between the cushion and the engine cover and is curious.  He lifts the
 pad and sees the engine cover; now he is positively interested and works
 feverishly to get the engine cover open.  You can almost sense his
 disappointment as he realises it's only an engine hidden under there.

 The other guard turns to me, smiles, and says "It's a Volkswagen, isn't it?"
 Sometimes a little relief is just what the doctor ordered.
 Joachim