Anti-terrorism team looking for flaws at Tinker

  • Published
  • By Danielle Gregory
  • Tinker Public Affairs
During the week of May 12 Tinker will host an anti-terrorism assessment team looking out for flaws in current Tinker operations.
   "We will not get graded on this assessment, most of it is structural and it deals with programs we are currently working on," said Master Sgt. Tim Francis, 72nd ABW.
   The assessment team normally spends one week on-site, though the time periods may vary for specific assessments. During the on-site portion of the assessment, each Subject Matter Specialist intensively examines details of the site and mission pertinent to his or her specialty using the Defense Critical Infrastructure Program Benchmarks.
  On site personnel gather and evaluate information using multiple sources and techniques. The measures the teams go through during the assessment include; physical inspections, interviews of key personnel, such as equipment operators, maintenance personnel and facility managers, reviews of engineering drawings and technical documents, operating procedures and contingency plans and site configuration control practices.
   Throughout the site visit, specialists coordinate their efforts with the Joint Staff Integrated Vulnerability Assessment Team and integrate their findings to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the mission and site is accomplished.
   In addition to gathering and evaluating information while at the site, each specialist documents his or her findings and prepares briefing slides that present observations and recommendations in order to provide the customer with immediate feedback.
   The Defense Threat Reduction Agency conducts 80-100 Joint Staff Integrated Vulnerability Assessments annually at Department of Defense installations worldwide. Six teams determine vulnerabilities and provide options to assist installation commanders in mitigating or overcoming them. Team reports are provided to the installation commander, the Joint Staff and the appropriate combatant commander and military service chief.
   DOD guidelines require each installation have higher headquarters antiterrorism and force protection assessment at least every three years. The agency helps installations meet this requirement through the assessments. The agency also provides education and training assistance so combatant commanders and military service chiefs can establish teams and increase their antiterrorism and force protection knowledge base.
   "This assessment will look at our anti terrorism program to see how it's working and will bring in outside eyes." "We get so used to looking at things on an everyday basis that we may miss something," said Mr. Leathers.
   "The week the team is here they will look over the whole base, our facilities and our practices. We will be conducting random anti-terrorism measures at our doors," said Sgt. Francis. "While they are here, it is business as usual; we want them to find errors."