WAIMANALO — For decades the public assumed that Bellows Air Force Station beaches were open to local residents on weekends, but an encounter with military police there has revealed otherwise and community leaders are studying the situation.

Kim Falinski of Kailua said she was walking on the beach between Waimanalo Bay State Recreation Area and the public campsites on Bellows when she and other people were approached by a military man in uniform riding a four-wheel drive vehicle. He asked for identification and told her the beach was closed 24/7, Falinski said, adding that she asked for a contact person she might talk to but was brushed off. Rather than confront the man, she said she left.

"I'm not a community activist," she said. "I'm just a community member. I'm told it's closed 24/7 and I'm told by someone with a gun."

Bellows is used by the Marines for training and is primarily a recreational area for military personnel. On weekends when there is no training the public is allowed on the base to camp, swim and picnic. Camping is by permit only. On weekends the main gate guard station is unmanned, allowing free access to the public up to the inward guard post.

Initially Marine and Air Force public affairs offices were surprised about the statement but upon further research the Air Force said there is a stretch of land between Waimanalo Bay State Recreation Area, and the first stream before the Bellows campsites, which is dry most of the time, that is closed 24/7.

The area belongs to the Air Force and is used for training, said Air Force public affairs spokesman Master Sgt. Robert Burgess.

Security forces patrol the boundaries during training and randomly at other times for safety reasons, said Capt. Tamara Duke, Bellows commander. Signs again have been posted to inform people, Duke said.

"The patrols are instructed to politely inform people who attempt to enter or have entered the training area to immediately exit the USAF property," she said in an e-mail.

Waimanalo Neighborhood Board Chairman Wilson Ho said the public has been going there for 20 years and there has never been a restriction. His understanding was the beach was open from Waimanalo Bay State Recreation Area all the way to the inside gate.

"Somewhere along the way the policy changed and we weren't informed as a community," Ho said, adding that he would try to sort out the confusion with the base commander.