Two weeks ago, I stressed the importance of constant readiness in light of recent events around the world that call us, as military members, to action.
This readiness is key to being able to provide our nation and our allies with the flexibility to adjust to the infinite spectrum of situations we seem to be facing in today’s environment.
As important as it is for us to be constantly ready, we are also reminded that it is even more important that we be constantly vigilant here at home.
It’s now been six months since the U.S. State Department and U.S. European Command issued a worldwide caution to Americans in Europe. The caution warned us of the continuing threat from al-Qaida and the threat to U.S. citizens.
Most recently, we were reminded of the seriousness of this threat by the deliberate attack at Frankfurt International Airport that claimed the lives of two of our Airmen and left two others seriously wounded.
Here in the KMC we are called to take action and take this threat seriously. And as we increase our engagement in military operations around the world, we know that our forces and our families will remain a target.
But being constantly vigilant is not just a commander responsibility; it should be exercised by each and every member of the KMC.
And being constantly vigilant isn’t just about being on the lookout for suspicious activity, but also looking at yourself.
In light of operations worldwide, we’ve exercised specific strategies lately to keep yourself and your family from standing out. Senior military leadership in Europe directed that we minimize uniform wear outside military installations. This measure is strictly for your safety to ensure we’re doing everything we possibly can to keep service members and their families from becoming targets in an overseas environment.
Beyond the force protection measures required by theater leadership, there are many things you and your family can do on your own to make yourselves harder targets in the KMC.
» Your automobile: Though it may be too much to trade in the giant Chevy truck you brought over from the states and get an Opel or Smart Car, you can at least help yourself by removing any obvious American flag or U.S. military stickers you may have displayed. By removing the indicators that make you an obvious American — sports team decals, honor roll bumper stickers, etc. — you create doubt in the mind of anyone who may be looking for a target.
» Dress: The same principle applies to your wardrobe as well. Dress in conservative clothes, and avoid obvious indicators that you’re not a native to the local area, like American flags or U.S. sport team logos.
» Behavior in public: Though most of us generally keep to ourselves when traveling, young Americans tend to get boisterous when moving in groups. No one will suggest you should not have fun while living in Germany, but be aware that when you’re joking with your friends in public, your perfect English may be telegraphing your nationality to people who are definitely not your friends. Travel in groups, but keep them small and be aware of who might be listening to your conversations.
» Large social gatherings: The same principles apply to large social gatherings. Try to minimize large gatherings when at all possible, or arrange to hold them on base.
» Social media: In the information age, the tools that allow us to inform our friends about ourselves also provide a gold mine of information to our enemies. It’s okay to talk about your plans and travels on Facebook and other websites — but only after your traveling is done.
» Spouses and family members: Our civilian family members need to operate under the same guidelines as the military folks. Make sure your family knows the sensitivities that come with the privileged information they have access to and the ways they can protect that information and themselves. Even small pieces of information that seem completely innocuous can tip off our enemies to big-picture events and operations.
The safety and security of service members and their families is the No. 1 priority for commanders across the European theater. Remember, vigilance is not just about looking out for suspicious activity, but also about taking a hard look at each other.
As always, thanks to you and your families for serving.
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Two weeks ago, I stressed the importance of constant readiness in light of recent events around the world that call us, as military members, to action.
This readiness is key to being able to provide our nation and our allies with the flexibility to adjust to the infinite spectrum of situations we seem to be facing in today’s environment.
As important as it is for us to be constantly ready, we are also reminded that it is even more important that we be constantly vigilant here at home.
It’s now been six months since the U.S. State Department and U.S. European Command issued a worldwide caution to Americans in Europe. The caution warned us of the continuing threat from al-Qaida and the threat to U.S. citizens.
Most recently, we were reminded of the seriousness of this threat by the deliberate attack at Frankfurt International Airport that claimed the lives of two of our Airmen and left two others seriously wounded.
Here in the KMC we are called to take action and take this threat seriously. And as we increase our engagement in military operations around the world, we know that our forces and our families will remain a target.
But being constantly vigilant is not just a commander responsibility; it should be exercised by each and every member of the KMC.
And being constantly vigilant isn’t just about being on the lookout for suspicious activity, but also looking at yourself.
In light of operations worldwide, we’ve exercised specific strategies lately to keep yourself and your family from standing out. Senior military leadership in Europe directed that we minimize uniform wear outside military installations. This measure is strictly for your safety to ensure we’re doing everything we possibly can to keep service members and their families from becoming targets in an overseas environment.
Beyond the force protection measures required by theater leadership, there are many things you and your family can do on your own to make yourselves harder targets in the KMC.
» Your automobile: Though it may be too much to trade in the giant Chevy truck you brought over from the states and get an Opel or Smart Car, you can at least help yourself by removing any obvious American flag or U.S. military stickers you may have displayed. By removing the indicators that make you an obvious American — sports team decals, honor roll bumper stickers, etc. — you create doubt in the mind of anyone who may be looking for a target.
» Dress: The same principle applies to your wardrobe as well. Dress in conservative clothes, and avoid obvious indicators that you’re not a native to the local area, like American flags or U.S. sport team logos.
» Behavior in public: Though most of us generally keep to ourselves when traveling, young Americans tend to get boisterous when moving in groups. No one will suggest you should not have fun while living in Germany, but be aware that when you’re joking with your friends in public, your perfect English may be telegraphing your nationality to people who are definitely not your friends. Travel in groups, but keep them small and be aware of who might be listening to your conversations.
» Large social gatherings: The same principles apply to large social gatherings. Try to minimize large gatherings when at all possible, or arrange to hold them on base.
» Social media: In the information age, the tools that allow us to inform our friends about ourselves also provide a gold mine of information to our enemies. It’s okay to talk about your plans and travels on Facebook and other websites — but only after your traveling is done.
» Spouses and family members: Our civilian family members need to operate under the same guidelines as the military folks. Make sure your family knows the sensitivities that come with the privileged information they have access to and the ways they can protect that information and themselves. Even small pieces of information that seem completely innocuous can tip off our enemies to big-picture events and operations.
The safety and security of service members and their families is the No. 1 priority for commanders across the European theater. Remember, vigilance is not just about looking out for suspicious activity, but also about taking a hard look at each other.
As always, thanks to you and your families for serving.