Stay vigilant Published July 28, 2009 By Office of Special Investigations Public Affairs and Special Agent K.C. Dreyer Office of Special Investigations SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- As a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, the Air Force implemented an antiterrorism program called "Eagle Eyes," which is run by the Air Force Office of Special Investigation. Much like a neighborhood watch program, the Eagle Eyes program is an Air Force-wide watch program that educates people on observable activities and what to do if they see something suspicious. The motto for Eagle Eyes is "Watch. Report. Protect." "Eagle Eyes enlists the help of base personnel whether active duty, reservist, family members, or civilian contractors and the civilian communities surrounding the base to remain vigilant and keep their eyes and ears open to any suspicious activities," said Special Agent Christopher Scroggs, counter threat operations, Detachment 518 at Spangdahlem Air Base. "The 2001 attack did not just spontaneously happen. There were precursor events that occurred that eventually led up to the attack. These terrorists conducted surveillance, planned their attacks and rehearsed their operation," he said. Lessons learned in the federal law enforcement and intelligence communities played a key role in the development of Eagle Eyes. "Of most importance, we learned every terrorist act is preceded by observable activities. These activities usually include surveillance, elicitation for information, tests of security, acquiring certain supplies, a dry run -- practicing the terrorist act, and deploying the assets to commit the act," Agent Scroggs said. "Once the assets are deployed to commit the attack, it is almost always too late to prevent the act from occurring." OSI Det. 518 special agents at Spangdahlem brief Eagle Eyes information not only to the base community, but also to local vendors and companies, especially those that may be of interest to a terrorist. Through education, it is possible to train people how to help prevent a terrorist attack from occurring. "When the community is aware of pre-attack indicators, they can play a vital role in deterring a potential attack," Agent Scroggs said. Once a potential indicator is observed, it can be reported to OSI through various channels, such as security forces or through the chain of command. OSI then investigates the reported activity. Some examples of what has been reported through the Eagle Eyes program to Det. 518 in the last year include numerous suspicious persons around the base perimeter; an unknown vehicle thought to be following a school bus and elicitation of information by a local national. By reaching out to Air Force members, their families and the local community through educational briefings and word of mouth, these incidents were reported in a timely manner. Timely reporting can foil potential criminal or terrorist plots. "Through education, we believe many incidents can be easily avoided. Simple things like not leaving valuables such as your military identification, military uniforms, or deployment gear in vehicles can prevent a potential terrorist activity from occurring," Agent Scroggs said. Law enforcement officials, to include OSI special agents, cannot be everywhere at all times. "The Eagle Eyes program relies on everyone to remain vigilant. Spangdahlem Sabers are one of our best force multipliers. They are our eyes and ears," Agemt Scroggs said. "Only you know your neighborhood. Only you know your environment. Please continue to be aware of your surroundings and to 'Watch, Report and Protect.'"