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Joint base prepares for vulnerability assessment

  • Published
  • By Donna Smith
  • 87th Air Base Wing Anti-Terrorism office
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST --  A Defense Threat Reduction Agency team will conduct an assessment of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst security practices from Aug. 8 through 20.

This assessment, which is part of the Joint Staff Integrated Vulnerability Assessment Program or JSIVA, is a tool to help commanders understand the base's vulnerability to terrorist attacks and the procedural and technical options for reducing the potential impact of terrorist activity. A JSIVA is a "vulnerability-based" evaluation of an installation's ability to deter and respond to a terrorist incident.

The vulnerability assessments and the suggestions that flow from them are focused primarily on protection of people.

It is important to understand that a "vulnerability-based" assessment considers the current threat and the capabilities of both transnational and local terrorist organizations, both in terms of their mobility and the types of weapons they have historically employed.

It's important to note that the vulnerability assessment is NOT any of the following:

· An inspection or effort to grade or rate the efforts of those responsible for antiterrorism.
· An evaluation or report that scores a site or installation and compares it against other sites or installations.
· A substitute for other inspection authorities or regulatory or inspection surveys that are part of the command responsibilities inherent with the Services, the Unified Commands, and their subordinate or component commands.
That being said, what can joint base employees expect from the assessment? They can probably expect to see a team member in their workplace asking questions and checking out how well security measures are both known and followed.

Some areas they may check:
· They will assess what access controls offices practice. That guy you don't recognize? Better check to see if he has a CAC card, and if he doesn't, REPORT HIM.

· Those random antiterrorism measures that we vigilantly conduct, monitor and report . . . don't be surprised if the JSIVA team questions you about them and even asks to see records.

· Nine years after the terrorist attacks on the United States, the joint base and most other military installations are at Force Protection Condition A. The Access Control Points, limited parking and locked doors are all a visible part of that protection level.

· That unknown truck parked by the back door? It had better be gone in the few minutes it takes to drop off equipment or supplies. If it isn't, copy down the license and REPORT IT. Parking distance has been pushed back from buildings for the specific purpose of lowering the threat of car bombs.

The assessment team will be looking for things performed incorrectly, or are not consistent. AWARENESS is one of the answers - WE ALL MUST BE AWARE OF OUR SURROUNDINGS ON THE JOINT BASE. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS, REPORT IT!

REMEMBER THAT THE JSIVA TEAM WILL BE ON THE JOINT BASE AUGUST 2010 8-20. BUT GOOD SECURITY PRACTICES SHOULD BE PRACTICED CONSISTENTLY,

BECAUSE EVEN WHEN JSIVA ISN'T LOOKING, THE TERRORISTS ARE.