VICENZA -- August begins Antiterrorism Awareness month, a campaign aimed at promoting tips, tools and strategies for recognizing possible indicators of terrorism. There are posters, leaflets, websites and manuals dedicated to training and promotion of the program.
Yet, how do we ensure that the message has the widest dissemination possible without becoming tired, trite and tedious? Is it leveraging more briefings, more online training, and more mandatory events? Is it leveraging social media, FRG and community involvement?
It can be a combination of all of these things, but these are just the first steps.
Antiterrorism principles should not be the immediate thought upon waking in the morning, but should always be in the back of one's mind as a basis of self-protection and preservation.
The biggest key to ensuring everyone's safety is knowing what to look for, how to ensure you are not making yourself a target, and whom to report suspicious activity. Knowing what to look for is the first step. Terrorists can look just like your neighbor or fellow church parishioner. You never know what can be going through someone's mind.
However, key phrases or actions can sometimes signal a need for further investigation. Maintaining or promoting radical ideologies or propaganda, sourcing and being in possession of large quantities of weapons or explosives, or simply expressing undue interest in workplaces, bases, or unusual travel routes can be indicators that something is amiss. If you notice any of these indicators, it is better to report them and have it turn out to be nothing, rather than refrain from reporting and something happen.
Another way to maintain personal safety is to ensure you do not make yourself a target. The world is shrinking rapidly due to social media and the internet. Information about your life is stored in databases all over the world, and if you don't take proper precautions, it can be easy to piece together enough information to be used against you. In order to maintaining OPSEC, refrain from posting locations, times, etc. on your social media platforms, and disable geotagging features on photographs and apps. Maintaining a low public profile makes you a harder target for potential adversaries to target. This will be especially difficult as younger generations grow into adulthood and the veil of the world wide web gives the illusion of privacy or anonymity, but it must be understood how quickly events can escalate based on small pieces of information.
Lastly, knowing whom to report something suspicious is the final piece of the puzzle. The Army operates the iSalute program which allows for 24/7 reporting through web based applications. Additionally, local Antiterrorism officers, military police, counter-intelligence and other personnel dedicated to force protection are great resources to report any suspicious activity.
Safety and security are paramount to the success of every mission, whether it's a military operation, or a mission to relax on vacation. Keeping in mind some of the principles of antiv-terrorism can help. It is imperative that each person takes charge of their own individual protection by recognizing, reporting, and maintaining safe practices in order to deny our adversaries their ultimate goal of making you or an attack on you the subject of political action through terror and violence.
Resources for reporting can be found at the following locations for USAG Italy:
https://www.inscom.army.mil/isalute/
DSN 314-537-2176/ (+49) 611-143-537-2176
(24 hour hotline for reporting suspicious activity)
USAG Italy Provost Marshal: 0444-71-7115
Counterintelligence Duty Agent: 331-172-2142
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