Keep your Eagle Eyes open

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alesia D. Goosic
  • 355th Communication Squadron
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE --  Eagle Eyes is an Air Force-wide program created by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and designed to prevent terrorism by recognizing and reporting pre-attack activities.

The Eagle Eyes program is like a global "neighborhood watch." Law enforcement officials rely on the eyes and ears of the entire community to observe and report suspicious activity. Not only military members, but civilian employees, contractors, family members and anyone else can and should report suspicious activity immediately.

Terrorist acts can be prevented when military members and citizens know what activities to look for and how to report them.

"Now, more than ever, force protection at home station is a high priority," said 355th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Kent Laughbaum. "Every Airman must be a sensor. Force Protection is not only the responsibility of our Security Forces - it is the duty of every Airman! We must be constantly vigilant, know how to recognize suspicious activity, and then take aggressive action when a threat is recognized."

The Eagle Eyes program is paying off here at D-M, according to base OSI officials.

Last winter just before the air show, a vigilant witness reported seeing two people taking video footage of the base gate as they drove around the northwest perimeter of the installation.

With that information, OSI officials were able to investigate a potential threat to the base just a week before the big air show.

"That's a good example of the first item in the Eagle Eyes program - surveillance," said Special Agent Timothy Neal of AFOSI Detachment 217 here. "With the intense U.S.-Mexico border activity, as well as the possibility of terrorists targeting us, it's important to be watchful for all of those precursors to an attack on and off base."

Air Force OSI officials recommend everyone always keep an "eagle eye" out for the following suspicious behaviors:

-- Surveillance: Someone recording or monitoring activities by using binoculars, note-taking, etc.

-- Elicitation: Anyone or any organization attempting to gain information about base capabilities, readiness, operations, etc.

-- Tests of Security: Attempts to assess strengths and weaknesses of security by attempting to measure reaction times to security breaches or to penetrate physical security barriers or procedures.

-- Acquiring supplies: Purchasing or stealing controlled items such as explosives, weapons, uniforms or badges.

-- Suspicious persons out of place: People who don't seem to belong in the area.

-- Dry run: Putting people into position and moving them about without actually committing a terrorist act.

-- Deploying assets: People and supplies getting into position to commit the act.

Here at Davis-Monthan, report suspicious activity 24 hours a day to the 355th Security Forces Squadron at 228-DMDM or the AFOSI Detachment at 228-5168.