PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - For more than a decade, the Department of the Army has declared August as Antiterrorism (AT) Awareness Month to increase awareness and vigilance in protecting Army communities from acts of terrorism.
The intent of Antiterrorism awareness month is to inform and create awareness of threats and achieve a heightened awareness for members of the Army (Soldiers, civilians, contractors, and family members) to detect terrorist and violent extremist activities, as well as prevent and protect the community from acts of terrorism.
The theme for the 2024 campaign is "Sustaining Community Awareness and Vigilance." A vigilant community is a strong defense against terrorism.
Terrorism is an enduring, persistent, worldwide threat to the nation and the forces. Army forces (including installations, stand-alone facilities and operational units) must be capable of deterring, preventing, and defending against the full range of terrorist tactics.
By integrating antiterrorism doctrinal principles with constant antiterrorism awareness, the Army ensures the safety and security of its people (Soldiers, civilians and contractors, and family members) while ensuring mission success. As such, antiterrorism training, education, and awareness support the entire Army community and are a critical part of our overall protection.
Lt. Col. Craig A. Bonham II, Picatinny Arsenal Garrison Commander, signed a proclamation for Army Antiterrorism Awareness Month. It reads as follows:
Whereas, vitality of our USAG Picatinny community depends on how safe we keep our homes, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and communities;
Whereas, terrorists acts create fear and destroy our trust in others and in civic institutions, threatening the community’s health, prosperity, and quality of life;
Whereas,people of all ages must be made aware of what they can do to prevent themselves and their families, neighbors, and coworkers from being harmed by terrorists;
Whereas,people of all ages must be made aware of the dangers of terrorist activities and how they can protect themselves from becoming victims of terrorism;
Whereas,the personal injury, financial loss, and impact to communities from terrorists’ attacks are intolerable and require investment from the whole community;
Whereas,preventing and defeating terrorism includes community protection and security, we must go beyond these to promote self-awareness and self-protection to make Army communities safer for all ages and to develop positive opportunities and a bright future for young people;
Whereas,adults must invest time and resources to understand and support effective antiterrorism prevention, deterrence, detection, and defense; adults must also engage our youth to ensure they adopt a proactive mindset of personal protection;
Whereas, effective antiterrorism plans and programs succeed because of partnerships with law enforcement, security, other government agencies, civic groups, schools, faith communities, businesses, and individuals as they help to raise community awareness and responsibility and instill pride and sustained vigilance;
Now, therefore, I LTC Craig A. Bonham II, USAG Picatinny Garrison Commander, do hereby proclaim August 2024 as Antiterrorism Awareness Month for USAG Picatinny and urge all citizens, government agencies, public and private institutions, and businesses to invest in the power of prevention and work together to make USAG Picatinny a safer, stronger, more caring community..
This year’s campaign materials will be provided via emails to the Picatinny Arsenal workforce and will include discussions and presentations conducted electronically.The installation's largest tenant, the U.S. Amy Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center, will also conduct active shooter training that will take place in the Lindner Conference Center as well as electronically. See below schedule.
Active Shooter Training – Thursday, August 1 - 10:00 am & 1:30 pm (Lindner Conference Center and via Teams)
Active Shooter Training – Friday, August 2 – 10:00 am & 1:30 pm (Lindner Conference Center and via Teams)
Active Shooter Training – Monday, August 5 – 10:00 am & 1:30 pm (Lindner Conference Center and via Teams)
Active Shooter Training – Tuesday, August 6 – 10:00 am (Lindner Conference Center and via Teams)
Active Shooter Training – Thursday, August 8 – 10:00 am (Lindner Conference Center and via Teams)
“As the Garrison Commander, it is my priority to keep the community safe, and that involves doing everything possible to prevent acts of terrorism from ever occurring on our installation,” said Bonham. “Everyone in our community should feel a shared responsibility to ensure our community is a safe place to work and live. This month, I encourage all community leaders, employees, and residents to use the resources we’ve made available to establish a better understanding of key antiterrorism concepts and what actions to take if you see suspicious activity.”
Here are a few examples of things to look for:
•Strangers asking questions about security forces or security procedures.
•People drawing or measuring official buildings.
•Packages left behind, including backpacks, suitcases, briefcases, or anything out of the ordinary.
•Cars or trucks parked in ‘no parking’ zones in front of official buildings.
•People in secure areas who aren’t authorized to be there.
•A person wearing clothes that are too big and bulky and/or too hot for the weather.
•Suspicious chemical smells or fumes.
•Someone asking questions about sensitive information, including building blueprints, security plans or VIP travel schedules without a ‘need to know.’
•Purchases of supplies and equipment that can be used to make bombs or weapons, or purchases of military or police uniforms without the proper credentials.
Employees are reminded that Anti-Terrorism training is conducted annually for their first three years of employment, and then triennially. Training can be conducted at:https://jkodirect.jten.mil.
Terrorism, extremism, or insider threat reporting can be completed through the Army’s iSALUTE, iWATCH, or Criminal Investigation Command websites.
Insider threats pose a risk to the Army's resources and personnel. Actions by an individual or a group could include espionage, terrorism, unauthorized disclosure of information, and the loss or degradation of assets and capabilities.
The Army’s iWATCH program includes antiterrorism awareness resources to help service members and their families identify and report potential activity.
You can access iWATCH via the banner on the Picatinny Arsenal website homepage or by visitinghttps://www.pica.army.mil/Picatinny/iWatch/.
The iSALUTE site allows personnel to report threat incidents, extremist behavioral indicators, and other counterintelligence matters.
Individuals can also report a crime or submit a crime tip through the Army CID website, or on a smartphone using the CID Crime Tips mobile application.
