WASHINGTON (Army News Service, August 3, 2010) Aca,!"- Army Installations throughout the country will engage in anti-terrorism awareness programs this month stressing vigilance, reporting suspicious activities and protecting Army communities.
In February, the Department of the Army determined Anti-Terrorism Awareness Month would be held in August each year -- a month Army leaders have deemed an appropriate reminder of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Aca,!A"August is a very appropriate month, given that itAca,!a,,cs just a month before September, keeping in mind 9/11, and also September is National Preparedness Month,Aca,!A? said Brig. Gen. Colleen L. McGuire, provost marshal general of the Army.
McGuire said bases across the nation will be promoting the observance by using posters, banners and displays to draw attention to community overwatch.
Aca,!A"HereAca,!a,,cs an opportunity to focus on anti-terrorism Aca,!"- particularly for children and Family members who live on an installation,Aca,!A? McGuire explained. Aca,!A"It gives them the chance to become acquainted with their neighbors and become more aware of their surroundings.Aca,!A?
Part of the anti-terrorism, or AT awareness campaign is a focus on Army iWatch Aca,!"- a community program which encourages vigilance and proper reporting to base authorities.
Some of the suspicious behaviors iWatch asks Army community members to look for include people asking security-related questions, loitering, drawing or taking photos of important buildings or entry points, wearing bulky or baggy clothes, chemical smells, and unattended cars lefts in parking lots or no-parking zones.
Part of each installationAca,!a,,cs AT campaign is to advertise where Soldiers and their families can report a suspected terrorist activity.
Aca,!A"The goal is to have a more alert community and if there is suspicious activity, they will know where to report it,Aca,!A? said Alex Mascelli, the Army's anti-terrorism chief.
Mascelli explained that some bases have web-based reporting services where community members can send a message directly to installation authorities, making it easy to report strange behavior. He said the goal of the observance is to bring awareness to the forefront and increase AT vigilance throughout the Army.
For more information on AT Awareness Month visit https:www.us.army.mil/suite/page/605757.
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