I teach about awareness so much in my safety, self-defense, and martial art courses and seminars that I sometimes forget that for some groups, you can't just teach them to be aware, but you need to point out, specifically, what they should be looking for when they are being aware of their surroundings.
Driving in Montana, I teach people to be aware of deer or other animals that have a habit of jumping out into the road.
But when we are thinking about being pro-active against terrorism, what should people look for? The recent alert in California at Camp Pendleton brings this topic to my attention, and I thought I'd provide a few words of guidance to help people keep a look out.
The incident in California involved three middle eastern men who tried to enter the base without proper authorization.
While the official statement says it was determined that the individuals involved were not a threat to MCB Camp Pendleton or any other military installation in the area, it is always good to keep your eyes open, be aware, and report any suspicious activity to the proper authorities.
So what might be suspicious activities that should ping your radar? Well, for one, look for suspicious behavior.
Instead of looking for a certain type of person, you can notice behaviors that don't seem just right.
Do people really belong where they are? A terrorist, or criminal for that matter, may try a trial run to test their plan.
They will see if they can get to the areas they need to perform their act.
They may scout out routes, exits, surveillance, ease of access, and anything else that may derail the success of their plan.
This includes testing various security measures to see how easy it is to get past them, or how far they can get with circumventing whatever security measures may be in place.
One activity that can raise suspicion and tip off someone who is up to no good is the act of surveillance of their own.
I remember my father telling me about catching someone pacing off distances on their base in Vietnam.
This information was then given or sold to the Vietcong who would use it to bomb or mortar selected targets.
Terrorists and criminals do the same thing.
They may take photographs, draw maps or other drawings, video record areas, or take notes to gather information to help with their illegal plans.
Another activity that can raise suspicion is the asking of questions and seeking information about certain places, people, or things.
If someone's inquiry makes you suspicious, stop and figure out why, and be careful of any information you provide to strangers.
These are just a couple of thoughts, based on the incident in California, to help you think about safety and how we all should be aware of what is going on around us, and by being aware, a few things to be aware of.
I hope you will use this short article as a starting point and take a moment to think about other things to be more aware of, and how you can help those who have sworn to protect this country by being another set of eyes and ears.