Terrorism officials stress Airmen remain aware

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Mara Title
  • Det 4, Air Force News Agency
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNEWS) --  After the attacks on September 11th, many people have become much more concerned with force protection methods, especially anti-terrorism measures. Despite the fact five years have passed, local security forces still receive numerous calls about anything that is seemingly awry.

Although their efforts to halt terrorist attacks are largely appreciated, force protection officials want to stress certain factors to try and eliminate any possibility of a future threat.

"General awareness is very important," said Anthony Jackson, an anti-terrorism officer at Ramstein Air Base. "Be aware of your surroundings, and you should constantly vary your routes to work each day.  It makes you a harder target for terrorists."

For troops, Mr. Jackson warned that the battle dress uniform is specifically for work, and should not be worn outside the military community.

Security officials also recommend having phone numbers readily available on speed dial in the event of an emergency, or suspicious activity.  "Suspicious" means anything that appears outside the norm, Mr. Jackson said.

"Often times in the past, people have reported these incidents, but they have reported them a little bit too late. So, I encourage people to respond in a timely manner," he said.

And for the few who think safety should only concern security personnel, Mr. Jackson had this to say: "Force protection is everybody's business, because it affects all of us."

Needless to say, we all have a hand in our own fate when it comes to dealing with terrorism. By confronting the threat head on, we eliminate signs of weakness that might encourage the enemy, Mr. Jackson said.

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