JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The Department of Defense recently announced the establishment of new Prevention, Assistance and Response positions at 18 military installations, including Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.
Scott Hudak and Kat Díaz-Callaway, PAR coordinators with the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), DoD Insider Threat Management and Analysis Center (DITMAC), arrived at JB MDL in November 2023.
Their primary responsibilities include leading the PAR program and assisting installation leadership in identifying and addressing personnel issues early to prevent them from escalating into larger concerns. They assist by coordinating the installation’s support resources to support at-risk personnel and mitigate the threat of violence.
"As an Army Veteran, this program is near and dear to my heart,” Diaz-Calloway said. “We are happy to be your reps on base, addressing referrals from all as, in the end, your safety and ease of mind on base are our number one concern."
The PAR program supports insider threat and violence prevention efforts by employing a multidisciplinary team to care for, assist and respond to individuals showing indicators of potentially violent behavior. Hudak and Díaz-Callaway collaborate with functional experts from various departments, including Integrated Prevention, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, suicide prevention, law enforcement, counterintelligence and security officers, to establish effective insider threat preventative measures and reporting processes.
"As a former New Jersey State Police and fusion center intelligence analyst who tracked school and workplace shootings for five years, I can attest that every report provides an opportunity for both positive intervention and hindrance of potential escalation along the pathway to violence,” Hudak said. “When in doubt, report comments and behaviors you find strange or suspicious. It is better to err on the side of caution by reporting than to live with the knowledge that something you knew about, but didn’t report, could have saved lives."
Hudak and Díaz-Callaway were among 36 coordinators who completed PAR fundamentals training with DCSA, which covered violent threat assessment skills, collaboration with other prevention programs and behavioral health topics to identify and mitigate potential violence indicators.
Established following the U.S. Army Fort Cavazos, formally Fort Hood, mass shooting in 2009, the PAR program assists military installation leadership across all branches of the armed forces and DoD agencies in managing insider threats effectively. DCSA's centralized PAR capability, established in June 2022, aims to standardize implementation of insider threat program requirements while addressing organizational concerns and resource requirements.
As part of DITMAC's decentralized implementation, PAR cadre here are trained in structured judgment tools and indicators of potential workplace violence. They work closely with DITMAC subject matter experts to assess and mitigate potential insider threats in the region.
"At JB MDL, the introduction of the Prevention, Assistance and Response coordinator positions represents a pivotal enhancement to our comprehensive security framework,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Anthony Smith, commander of JB MDL and the 87th Air Base Wing, “These roles are designed to integrate disparate security elements into a cohesive strategy, prioritizing early detection, intervention and the mitigation of insider threats. Their expertise enables us to address potential threats at the earliest possible stage, ensuring the safety and well-being of all personnel."
For more information or assistance, please email scott.g.hudak.civ@mail.mil or katherine.diaz-callaway.civ@mail.mil.