An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Article Display

Holiday travel advisory

  • Published
  • By Donna Smith
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Antiterrorism Office
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Planning a holiday getaway to Mexico? The Joint Base Antiterrorism office recommends considering the whereabouts of the vacation place.

Some parts of Mexico--specifically the triangular region between the cities of Chihuahua, south to Durango, northwest to Sinaloa State--have recently had increased drug cartel activity causing concern for Air Force leadership.

Department of Defense personnel face a risk of serious violence if they visit the state of Chihuahua. The drug cartel violence has continued to worsen with continuing attacks against security and government officials resulting in innocent victims being injured or killed. Criminal- and narcotics-related violence is no longer confined to drug trafficking organizations' controlled areas, evident by recent reports of attacks at common tourist spots.

While the most popular tourist destinations have lower crime levels than other cities, crime and the drug cartels remain a concern nonetheless and security precautions should be carefully considered.

The U.S. State Department and the U.S. Northern Command commander are advising all U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to Mexico. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst commanders are urged to restrict all unofficial travel to Mexico until further notice. If travel is unavoidable, it is recommended that commanders initiate a process that includes specific information on the country's state, emergency contact sheet, and complete the Antiterrorism Awareness Training within 90 days prior to traveling.

"I discourage all voluntary travel to Mexico given the country's violence risks," said Col. Gina Grosso, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst commander. "Anyone traveling to areas outside of the danger zone of Mexico should receive an antiterrorism briefing prior to traveling and exercise extreme caution while there."

For more information, contact Donna Smith at 754-3238 or donna.smith-02@mcguire.af.mil.