Pentagon raises force protection level for US bases
Posted 9/8/2011
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by Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service
9/8/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has authorized raising the force protection level for military installations mainly in the United States, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Sept. 7.
Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., the U.S. Northern Command commander, requested the action in recent days in advance of the 10th anniversary 9/11.
Little said Panetta and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reviewed the request.
"This is not in response to any specific or credible threat surrounding the 10th anniversary of 9/11," Little said, "but we believe it is prudent and precautionary to take such a step."
It's no secret that al-Qaida has focused on holidays and milestone events in the past, Little said, noting that the 10th anniversary of 9/11 was mentioned in documents seized at the Abbottabad compound in Pakistan where Osama bin Laden was killed in May.
Navy Capt. John Kirby, the director of media operations, said the Defense Department does not discuss specific force protection levels but that the level would be raised at installations throughout the continental US., including the Pentagon.
The action, he said, "takes effect today and goes through the anniversary," and it is in keeping with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's Sept. 2 statement on the anniversary of the attacks.
"While there is no specific or credible intelligence that al-Qaida or its affiliates are plotting attacks in the United States to coincide with the 10-year anniversary of 9/11," Napolitano said, "we remain at a heightened state of vigilance, and security measures are in place to detect and prevent plots against the United States, should they emerge."
The four levels of force protection applied to every American military installation are alpha, bravo, charlie and delta, according to USNORTHCOM officials. Alpha is the lowest level, and Delta is the highest.
USNORTHCOM leaders set the minimum force protection condition level for installations in the continental U.S. because it is the unified combatant command whose geographic area of responsibility is North America, officials said.
Other combatant command leaders set force protection condition levels for American military installations in their areas of responsibility, the officials said. Individual facility and installation commanders can increase local force protection levels but must adhere at least to the minimum level set by USNORTHCOM leaders.
The raised force protection level, Little said, "is a reflection of al Qaida's continued interest in milestone and anniversary events, and is prudent."
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