Whether it’s an unattended backpack, someone taking photos near a restricted area or a seemingly harmless social media post, threats to security don’t always look the way people expect. During Antiterrorism Awareness Month, Tobyhanna Army Depot urges its workforce to stay vigilant, trust their instincts and report anything that seems out of place.
For newly appointed Antiterrorism Officer Joshua Jauga, building that culture of awareness is at the heart of his mission.
Jauga brings more than two decades of force protection experience to the role. He began his military career in 2003 as an Army Military Police Soldier, deploying to Southwest Asia in 2005 before serving as a military police investigator. After leaving active duty in 2012, he continued his law enforcement career as a federal police officer with the Defense Logistics Agency, later advancing through the ranks to become Chief of Police at Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg. Most recently, he served as a Police Lieutenant at Tobyhanna before accepting his new position as the depot’s Antiterrorism Officer.
Today, he serves as the commander’s principal advisor and program manager for antiterrorism, helping safeguard personnel, information, critical infrastructure and depot assets from terrorist and extremist threats.
While security measures can sometimes seem restrictive, Jauga said they are designed to protect the workforce and ensure the depot remains ready to support the joint warfighter. In today’s global security environment, installations across the Department of War operate with heightened awareness because potential threats can emerge anywhere, often with little warning.
Rather than creating fear, Jauga hopes employees understand that strong security is built on shared responsibility.
“A vigilant community is not one driven by fear,” said Jauga. “It is characterized by shared responsibility, active observation and a professional mindset. Collective vigilance simply means that security is integrated seamlessly into our daily routines.”
That vigilance begins with recognizing behaviors that may indicate surveillance or other suspicious activity. Instead of focusing on appearances, antiterrorism professionals encourage employees to pay attention to actions.
Examples include individuals photographing entry control points or critical infrastructure, asking unusually detailed questions about security procedures or personnel movements, attempting to bypass security measures or tailgate through controlled access points, or leaving unattended packages or vehicles in unusual locations.
If something doesn’t seem right, Jauga encourages employees to trust their instincts.
“We would much rather investigate a hundred false alarms than miss the one indicator that could save lives,” said Jauga.
He reminds employees that reporting suspicious activity does not require them to determine whether a crime has occurred.
“You are the sensor, not the analyst,” said Jauga. “It is not your job to solve a case, prove a crime or determine someone’s intent. Your only responsibility is to report the anomaly.”
Even information that appears insignificant could help security personnel identify a larger pattern. A single report of suspicious photography, for example, may connect with similar reports from elsewhere on the installation, allowing investigators to recognize coordinated surveillance activity before it escalates.
If employees observe suspicious behavior, they should prioritize their own safety, avoid confronting the individual and report what they observed as soon as possible. Organizing details using the SALUTE format, which stands for Size, Activity, Location, Unit, Time and Equipment, can provide valuable information for responding personnel.
Jauga also emphasized that security extends beyond the installation fence line. One of the most common vulnerabilities he sees today involves oversharing on social media.
Posting travel plans before leaving, sharing real-time locations through geotagged photos or establishing predictable routines with fitness tracking apps can unintentionally reveal information that could be exploited by criminals or adversaries.
Fortunately, he said, reducing those risks is simple. Waiting until after returning home to post travel photos, disabling location services for cameras and social media applications, and varying daily routines can significantly reduce personal vulnerability.
“Ultimately, adversaries look for easy targets and predictable patterns,” said Jauga. “By taking control of your digital footprint and practicing basic OPSEC, you instantly take away their advantage.”
As Antiterrorism Awareness Month continues, depot leaders encourage every employee to remain observant, report suspicious activity and remember that security is everyone’s responsibility. Small actions, such as paying attention to unusual behavior, speaking up when something seems out of place and practicing sound operational security, help protect the workforce, preserve critical capabilities and ensure Tobyhanna Army Depot remains ready to support the nation’s defense.
Tobyhanna Army Depot is designated as the Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, electronics, avionics, and missile guidance and control. TYAD provides cradle-to-grave lifecycle support through depot-level repair, systems integration, software and cyber engineering, and field support.
A key enabler of operational readiness for joint and allied forces globally, TYAD leverages new and emerging technologies to further expand the Department of War’s organic capabilities for microelectronics, secure communications infrastructure, unmanned aerial systems, joint all-domain command and control, integrated air and missile defense and the Army’s Next Generation Combat Systems.
TYAD’s ability to rapidly surge production, deploy field support teams and scale for contingency or theater-level operations makes it a vital contributor to strategic readiness and operational reach.
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