Terrorism is an enduring, persistent, worldwide threat to the nation and the readiness of the Army. Army forces must seek to understand the threat and effects a terrorist attack could have on Army personnel and the Army’s warfighting capability.
Anti-Terrorism plans and programs must assess, detect, defend, warn, and recover from a full range of terrorist tactics to ensure readiness and the safety of all Army personnel, families, and assets.
Part of assessing and detecting a threat is sharing information across many levels. The Army Threat Integration Center (ARTIC) collaborates with the Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) and the Army Intelligence Center to analyze and disseminate threat information to protect personnel and assets worldwide.
The Fort McCoy Threat Working Group (TWG) receives a daily terrorism summary, a weekly ARTIC Criminal and Terrorist Intelligence Report, an ARTIC Quarterly Threat Assessment, an annual Threat to the Army Assessment, and additional updates based on any current threats.
Additionally the TWG receives threat updates from the Wisconsin Statewide Intelligence Center, Wisconsin Joint Terrorism Task Force, Wisconsin National Guard, Wisconsin Air National Guard, Wisconsin State Patrol, and local law-enforcement agencies. The TWG utilizes the threat information to develop the annual All-Hazards Threat Assessment (AHTA).
The community can assist by reporting suspicious activity or behavior.
Use the “See Something, Say Something” motto to do something by calling 911 or local law enforcement or reporting to iWatch or iSalute. Listed below are some of suspicious activities and behaviors to watch out for and report.
• Seeking information: Questioning people or otherwise seeking information at a level beyond mere curiosity about a public or private event or particular facets of a facility’s or building’s purpose, operations, security procedures, etc.
• Testing or probing security: Deliberate interactions with or challenges to installations, personnel, or systems that reveal physical, personnel, or cybersecurity capabilities.
• Recruiting/financing: Providing direct financial support to operations teams and contacts or building operations teams and contacts or compiling personnel data, banking data, or travel data.
• Photography: Taking pictures or video of people, facilities, buildings, or infrastructure in an unusual or surreptitious manner that would arouse suspicion of terrorism or other criminal activity in a reasonable person. Examples include taking pictures or video of infrequently used access points or personnel performing security functions.
• Observation/surveillance: Demonstrating unusual or prolonged interest in facilities, buildings, or infrastructure beyond mere casual or professional interest and in a manner that would arouse suspicion of terrorism or other criminal activity in a reasonable person.
• Material acquisition/storage: Acquisition and/or storage of unusual quantities of materials such as cellphones, pagers, radio control toys or controllers; fuel, chemicals, or toxic materials; and timers or other triggering devices.
• Acquisition of expertise: Attempts to obtain or conduct training or otherwise obtain knowledge or skills in security concepts, military weapons or tactics, or other unusual capabilities in a manner that would arouse suspicion of terrorism or other criminality in a reasonable person.
• Weapons collection: Collecting unusual numbers or types of weapons, including explosives, chemicals, and other destructive materials. Evidence of detonations or other residue, wounds, or chemical burns that would arouse suspicion of terrorism or other criminal activity in a reasonable person.
For more information about threats, antiterrorism-awareness training, reporting suspicious activity, iWatch, iSalute, or other antiterrorism-related issues, call your installation Antiterrorism Office.
(Article prepared by the Fort McCoy Antiterrorism Office.)
