Commentary: Force protection is everyone's business

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Marksmeier
  • 509th Security Forces Squadron
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  Contrary to popular belief, terrorism is by no means a new concept.

Traditionally a tactic of the weak, it can be dated to 1st Century A.D. with the use of assassinations.

However the word "terrorism" derived from the French Revolution in the 1790s in which the government instilled a systematic state of terror against the population of France, killing thousands.

Terrorism defined: "The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons."

With the aftermath of the Khobar Towers bombing, the Sept. 11 tragedy and the on-going situations in Iraq and Afghanistan many people believe we are unable to prevent these acts of violence; however there are measures we can take to prevent terrorism locally.

Education of our civilian and military families is one of the most important elements of defending against those who threaten our lives and operations with their acts of violence. Among lessons learned are how terrorists look for "soft targets" or vulnerable areas in which security measures are lax or absent.

The Department of Defense has established a unique program to augment our day to day security posture, the Random Antiterrorism Measure Program.

RAMs are random security measures that consistently change the look of an installation's force protection program. These measures are used to create a psychological deterrent of uncertainty for an installation's overall force protection program. They are designed to defeat surveillance attempts and make it difficult for a terrorist to accurately predict our actions, making the installation a "hard target" instead of a "soft target."

In any terrorist attack, surveillance is one of the first steps of planning. Terrorists may observe a particular area for several weeks or months, noting our procedures and vulnerabilities in security. With this information, would-be terrorists are capable of planning and circumventing the system. RAMs enhance Force Protection by reducing the predictability of our security posture while eliminating the terrorist's advantage.

Whiteman AFB units are tasked to complete security measures involving staff, resources and facilities. The number of RAMs conducted may vary, depending on the current threat and security postures we are in. A key factor in conducting a RAM is being as overt and visible as possible. This enhances the "psychological deterrent" factor and there is no doubt to any onlooker you are conducting a security measure.

RAMs are effective because they are truly random; the time, place and location are always different. If someone is conducting surveillance on an area, it makes it extremely difficult to figure out your pattern of security because there is no pattern.

Conducting RAMs may become inconvenient at times, but they are a vital part of Whiteman's security posture and a necessity in the protection of our military members, their families and the resources assigned to Whiteman AFB. The catch phrase "force protection is everyone's business" is a testament that all personnel, not just the 509th Security Forces Squadron, take the appropriate steps to protect their facilities, resources and staff.

If you happen to encounter a RAM throughout the course of your busy day, remember, your time, cooperation and patience is a small price to pay for the protection of your families and ensuring the unique mission at Whiteman AFB continues.

If you encounter any suspicious activity report it to the Security Forces Police Services Desk.