JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Joint Base MDL personnel and their family members must remain observant and not become complacent with daily installation security measures and individual and family protection plans. Terrorist leaders continue to call for attacks in the West, and our base is not immune to these threats. The "See Something-Say Something" campaign has been stressed for the past several years and includes suspicious or threatening phone calls or mail and packages.
Suspicious activity
Suspicious activity can be anything someone observes that makes them confused, concerned or uncomfortable. With potential terrorist activity, this can include:
- Suspicious photography or video recording;
- Watching base activity and taking notes; and
- Wearing unusual clothes, like gloves or heavy coats on hot days.
JB MDL personnel must trust the uneasy feeling they get if they see someone doing something out of the ordinary. The community should report suspicious activity it to help investigators rule out possible attack planning or preparation.
Suspicious phone calls
If base members receive a suspicious phone call, especially from someone asking about base activities or security measures, JB MDL personnel should remain calm, friendly and confirm the caller has called the correct agency. Then, try to collect the following information:
- Caller's phone number (either through Caller ID or by asking for a good "callback" number)
- Caller's name
- Purpose of the call
- Caller's organization
- All other relevant information, such as the questions the caller asked
During and/or immediately after the call, personnel should write down all notes to preserve the most accurate details. They must report the contact to the Office of Special Investigations at 609-754-3533 and notify their agency antiterrorism representative.
Suspicious mail
The following information is useful in detecting suspicious letters or packages sent through international mail and the USPS system. While by no means complete or foolproof, letters and packages exhibiting the following characteristics should be considered as a potential risk.
- Weight: weight unevenly distributed, heavier than usual for its size and heavier than usual for its postal class.
- Stamps: more than required postage and/or excessive.
- Postmark: foreign, from an unusual city or missing postmark.
- Thickness: for medium size envelopes: the thickness of a small book, not uniform or has bulges; for large envelopes: bulkiness, an inch or more in thickness.
- Writing: foreign writing style, misspelled words, marked "air mail," "registered," "certified," "special delivery certified" or "special delivery."
- Address: marked "personal," "private," "eyes only," or "confidential," no return address, poorly typed or handwritten address, hand printed, title for the recipient incorrect and addressed to a high-ranking recipient by name, title or department.
- Envelope: peculiar odor, oil stains, inner sealed enclosure, excessive sealing material, wire, string, foil sticking out or ink stains.
- Rigidity: springiness greater than normal, particularly along its center length
Every JB MDL member plays a part in base defense, whether they respond to or report suspicious activity. Whether on or off base, it's imperative that we remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to include suspicious mail. The phone call you make could possibly foil the next terror plot.
When you see suspicious activity:
- Call 87th Security Forces Squadron at 609-754- 6001
- Call 911 from a base landline
- When off-base, call 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ (723365) or 211 for the New Jersey State Police Counter-Terrorism Watch office.