97202. Military Launches New Anti-terrorism Training

By Staff Sgt. Lee Roberts, USAF

J-Scope Editor



	WASHINGTON -- The Joint Staff recently launched a four-

tiered training initiative that mandates every DoD member receive 

force protection training prior to moving or serving overseas.

	Army Gen. John M. Shalikashvili, chairman of the Joint 

Chiefs of Staff, directed the development of predeployment 

training to raise awareness of terrorism directed against U.S. 

forces following the bombing of Khobar Towers in June 1996.

	Shalikashvili asked Marine Corps Gen. John Sheehan, U.S. 

Atlantic Command commander, to coordinate with the Joint Staff 

and the services on how to best prepare troops for terrorist 

threats. Sheehan's group crafted a plan to formalize anti-

terrorism and force protection training and to encourage 

individuals to use what they learn in their daily activities.

	Navy Capt. Richard D. Jaskot, the Joint Staff's Training, 

Doctrine and Assessments Division chief, said although the new 

training can't guarantee the safety of the troops, it will make 

individuals more aware of their surroundings and help them avoid 

being in a situation favorable to terrorists.

	Jaskot said each individual will receive predeployment 

training subdivided into two threat levels.

	Training Level 1 is the individual level. If service members 

are traveling to a negligible- or low-threat area, they are 

required to watch a service-selected training video and read 

pamphlets designed to reinforce the awareness techniques stressed 

in the video. If they are going to a medium- or high-threat area, 

members have to get a country clearance from the combatant 

commander. They also will receive an individual briefing 

stressing personal protective measures.

	The training video is not required if it has been viewed 

within the last six months. However, a country-specific briefing 

is required for every service member traveling outside the United 

States. A person or unit must be able to certify the training has 

been received before entering a foreign country, Jaskot stressed.

	No matter what the terrorist threat, Jaskot said it is 

important to receive the country-specific briefing. Whether a 

person travels to Germany, Philippines or Saudi Arabia, the 

training focuses on specific threats and gives detailed advice on 

how to avoid becoming a terrorist's victim, he said.

	For instance, Jaskot said "it's important you don't make 

yourself stand out as an American military person. You don't 

carry your briefcase with the 'I've been there' stickers all over 

it or wear civilian clothing which clearly stands out as 

American."

	He said individuals must be aware and have a mindset when 

moving or going to a site overseas "to be thinking about 

protecting yourself, looking around, staying aware. You can't 

think of this training as a hassle but something that is going to 

make people and families safer, and units better prepared."

	Training Level 2 is the "train the trainer" level. Jaskot 

said this instruction is based on an anti-terrorism instructor 

qualification course in the John F. Kennedy Center at the Special 

Warfare Capability School, Fort Bragg, N.C.

	Instructors receive training and then can provide others 

Level 1 training. Also, each service should add service-specific 

modules to the training based on its own references, procedures 

and regulations on anti-terrorism and force protection.

	Training Level 3 is designed to help unit, battalion, 

squadron and ship commanders or those selected for command to be 

familiar with responsibilities concerning the safety of forces.

	"The training they will receive is a module on what their 

responsibilities are, and what DoD, Joint Staff and service 

regulations they have to comply with to keep people safe," Jaskot 

said. "It also explains how they can go about working with their 

Level 2 trained people to get the best force protection within 

their unit."

	Training Level 4 is executive-level training. The National 

Defense University in Washington will sponsor a force protection 

seminar for high-ranking officers over three days in late April.

	"They will be talking to some of the experts in the field of 

antiterrorism from the CIA, FBI, Defense Intelligence Agency and 

other places in the government," Jaskot said. "They will discuss 

terrorism issues, what we are doing to combat terrorism, what 

technology we have and how to set up antiterrorism programs for 

the various forces under their command."

	Jaskot said planners hope the four-tiered training 

initiative makes the military a better organization in the future 

than it is today, much as military safety programs did 30 years 

ago.

	"Back then, we got serious about safety and made it a daily 

mindset change using posters and by continually reminding people 

about it," Jaskot said. "We are safer today than we were then. 

That is the same kind of tactic we want to take with 

antiterrorism. We want everybody to think about these important 

issues on a daily basis."



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