Fort McCoy DES will hold additional random antiterrorism measures in 2021

The Fort McCoy Directorate of Emergency Services (DES) will be exercising additional random antiterrorism measures throughout 2021, said DES Physical Security Chief Mark Reaves.

These measures may include no-notice temporary closure of installation access control points for an hour or two, to include South Post Housing, Reaves said. This will force Soldiers, civilians, and visitors of Fort McCoy to exercise an alternate route plan for getting to their destination.

“Driving in familiar places can cause us to rely more on muscle memory than on our active driving skills — making us less likely to be hyper-vigilant on the road,” Reaves said. “Be unpredictable. Vary your routes, times of arrival and departure, and alternate parking spots when going to and from work or other routine destinations.

“Plan your route and pre-plan alternate routes in case of emergency,” Reaves said. “In a ‘real-world event,’ one or more access-control points that people use may be partially or entirely closed for an undetermined amount of time. However, you may need to still go to work. You need to know a second and third route to your destination.”

Examples of sample protective measures that may be in place by DES include barriers, 100 percent identification checks, vehicle inspections, additional patrols, and planned rehearsals of access-control point closures, Reaves said.

“The random antiterrorism measures are conducted in order to keep Soldiers, facility members, employees, and visitors safe,” Reaves said.

For more information contact the DES Physical Security Office.