Eagle Eyes: everyone part of anti-terrorism team

  • Published
  • By Courtesy Story
  • 6th Security Forces Squadron
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Every citizen, military or civilian, can have a positive effect in the ongoing war on terrorism. The Eagle Eyes program is an anti-terrorism initiative that enlists the eyes and ears of Air Force members and citizens in the local community against the war on terror.

The foundation of the Eagle Eyes program is educating Airmen and the local population about typical activities terrorists engage in prior to an attack. Armed with this information, you can recognize elements of potential terrorist activities when you see them.

Your involvement in the Eagle Eyes program is critical in the war on terrorism. Law enforcement relies on citizen's participation as a means of detection and deterrence. You play a vital role in detecting, deterring and preventing acts of terrorism. It's your eyes, ears, and sense of why something is unusual or out of place, that can prevent acts of terrorism. After all, you are the expert on what activities do, or do not, belong in your neighborhood and community.

Everyone at MacDill Air Force Base and the surrounding community is considered part of the anti-terrorism team; as such you can report information 24 hours a day. Your information is immediately shared with appropriate law enforcement agencies and military commanders for action.

Everyone is encouraged to stay alert whether at home, work or even while driving.

Always keep an "Eagle Eye" out for suspicious behaviors such as:

Surveillance - someone recording or monitoring activities using camera equipment, taking notes, drawing maps or using binoculars or any other vision enhancement devices.

Elicitation - anyone attempting to gain information or in person about military operations or its personnel.

Test of security - any attempts to measure reaction times to security breaches or to penetrate physical security barriers.

Acquiring supplies - purchasing or stealing weapons, explosives, uniforms, vehicle decals and even Department of Defense identification media.

Suspicious persons out of place - people who just don't seem to belong there. This could be the individual asking questions you know they do not have the need to know. An individual sitting outside the base perimeter fence in their car watching personnel entering and exiting the base.

Dry runs - putting people in position and moving them about without actually committing the terrorist act.

Deploying assets - people and supplies are put in place to commit the terrorist act. This would also be your last chance to alert authorities before terrorism occurs.

If you observe any actual or suspected suspicious activity, make note of it and call 911, the Base Defense Operations Center at 828-3322, or 6sfs.controlcenter@us.af.mil.

Once notified, security forces will react and notify the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and other agencies as needed.

For additional information or participation in the Eagle Eyes program, contact AFOSI Detachment 340 at 828-4921, or email AFOSIDet340.cc@ogn.af.mil.