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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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