Antiterrorism training is another way to protect your family

By Maj. Eric Leckel

Wisconsin Army National Guard

(Editor’s Note: August is Antiterrorism Awareness month and the Wisconsin National Guard is highlighting personal and professional perspectives to stay safe. The story below comes to us from a Soldier of the Wisconsin National Guard who shares what antiterrorism training means to him and his family.)

When I was assigned as the State Partnership Program (SPP) coordinator I was required to travel domestically and internationally. The online Antiterrorism training and the training aids were a great enhancement to pre-deployment planning and event execution. This allowed me to be better prepared to identify possible terrorist threats and hazards.

The second benefit of the antiterrorism training has been my ability to assist my family members with terrorism awareness. Prior to any travel with my family I will discuss antiterrorism Individual Protective Measures (IPM) outlined in the Joint Staff handout OCJCS PC 5260.

I also always try to obtain and share information regarding our final travel destination. Most of the information is regarding criminal activity, but I also discuss staying vigilant for the possibility of terrorist activities.

This was the case when we scheduled a family vacation to Washington D.C. and the potential for terrorist activities in this area. The one page handout can assist in both situations when trying to practice safe travel habits.

The other measure I always discuss with my wife prior to boarding an airplane is actions if there is a high-jacking during the flight. Not the most favorable topic prior to a vacation, but I believe it is something that will enhance our safety in case of an emergency.

Another great tool I use for educating my family with regard to antiterrorism awareness is the Family Threat Assessment provided by the J-34 section of the Wisconsin National Guard Joint Staff. This document is a six page paper which identifies three different groups of adversaries, potential acts, and protection measures.

The other portion of the document that prepares the family is the threat mitigation and reduction section. This outlines seven threats and explains how my family members can mitigate criminal and terroristic activities from happening to them.

I have used all three of these antiterrorism tools to better prepare my family and myself to assist in preparing awareness in the current threat environment.

Learn more about how to keep your family safe from criminals, cyber criminals, or terrorism. The Ready Wisconsin website is designed to educate and empower Wisconsinites to prepare for and respond to all kinds of emergencies including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks.