Although the Army has designated August as Antiterrorism Awareness Month, maintaining vigilance for suspicious activities is a year-round responsibility for Soldiers, family members, DA civilians and contract workers, said an installation protection officer.
"It's a continual battle," said Robert Daul, Fort Sill antiterrorism officer. "Everyone is a sensor and they may see that one piece that puts the puzzle together for law enforcement."
The four focus areas of awareness are: recognizing and reporting suspicious activity; participating in antiterrorism training; countering insider threats; and becoming familiar with the risks associated with the use of social media, according to then-Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno, in his 2015 antiterrorism awareness message.
Soldiers regularly receive antiterrorism awareness training, however, their spouses and children don't necessarily understand how important it is for them, too, Daul said.
"We work under a whole community concept where it's the leaders, the Soldiers, the family members, the civilian employees -- where everybody needs to be aware," he said.
During August, banners, marquee messages and posters have been highlighting antiterrorism awareness.
Daul conducted A/T awareness sessions Aug. 11 and 12 for the community at the Fort Sill Conference Center. He answered questions, gave formal presentations and provided giveaways that emphasized antiterrorism awareness.
The iWatch Army "See Something, Say Something" program allows the public to anonymously report suspicious activity. When information is provided through iWatch it goes to about eight different offices, such as the military police, Criminal Investigative Division, antiterrorism office, physical security division, etc. The redundancy ensures that the information gets to the right authorities, Daul said. The Army OneSource website explains the iWatch program in detail.
Fort Sill's iWatch number is 580-558-0000, or on the Fort Sill Intranet under "Intranet Links (internal)" to get to the TRADOC garrison form.
What is suspicious activity?
Daul said it is any behavior that doesn't quite seem right. He gave an example of a person waiting at a bus stop, but not boarding the bus when it arrives. Instead remaining there, maybe jotting down notes. Or, a car with people sitting in a lot or neighborhood for extended periods, and maybe at odd hours.
If one sees an action, such as a person leaving a backpack or package then running away, that's an emergency and the police should be called at 9-1-1, he said.
Stateside military facilities are a target of terrorist groups, Daul said. Soldiers can reduce their military signature so they aren't so visible.
"We're not saying not to be proud of your military service, but you don't necessarily have to go boast it everywhere you go," he said. "You just don't know who is out there listening."
Daul said service members should be especially wary of strangers who show a keen interest in a Soldier's service beyond the norm.
"When they start asking where you work, what you do, how many people are in your unit, how do I get to your unit -- those questions are kind of odd," Daul said.
Service members can alter their routines, such as taking a different route to work or changing their departing times, even if they live on post.
Bumpers stickers and window decals also can provide a terrorist with information, such as a rank, retired status, college affiliation, branch affiliation, family members shown in stick-figure decals, etc.
"That's another signature piece," said Daul.
Social media is a big concern, too. Users should have privacy settings that only lets their friends see their pictures or posts about activities and personal information, he said.
Daul said he is available to speak about antiterrorism awareness at Family Readiness Groups and to other organizations.
For more information on antiterrorism awareness, contact him at 580-442-5973.
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