Pendleton community requested to open eyes and ears to suspicious activities

The top leaders of all West Coast installations, to include Camp Pendleton, are inviting the entire community to open their eyes and ears to help each other by reporting suspicious and potentially dangerous activities.

The combined forces of Marine Corps Installations West and the I Marine Expeditionary Force put their safety and security muscles together to create “Eagle Eyes,” a suspicious activity reporting program.

The program encourages and enables all military and civilian personnel to assist base law enforcement and security authorities in preventing terrorist and criminal acts.

“The motivation behind [Eagle Eyes] inception is the necessity to maintain a constant and increased vigilance because of terrorist threats to the United States,” explained Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jeffrey Frenchlujan, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense officer, Mission Assurance, MCI-West. “With the recent terrorist incidents, we are reminded these threats still exist and this program is needed.”

The Eagle Eyes program applies to all bases and air stations in California and Arizona. Several East Coast Marine Corps installations also have this program in place, Frenchlujan added.

The program allows individuals to participate and play an important role in deterring, detecting and defeating criminal or terrorist crimes.

“If any suspicious activity is detected, the observer should contact local law enforcement with specific details,” said Jeff Williams, antiterrorism/critical infrastructure protection analyst, operations and training, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. “The authorities will then determine what action should be taken.”

Activities that should be noticed and reported to the Eagle Eye hotline include the following:

· Surveillance – including the photography or observation of access points, buildings, equipment and aircraft.

· Suspicious questioning - the solicitation of information from phone calls, e-mails and in person.

· Tests of security – the attempt to access restricted areas, wandering in buildings and through remote areas.

· Acquiring supplies – the uncharacteristic collection of weapons, ammunition, explosives and fuel.

· Suspicious persons – those who seem as though they are out of place.

· Dry runs - rehearsing terrorist or criminal activity.

· Deploying assets – including people who are armed, wearing tactical gear or in a suspicious vehicle.

Additionally, those who witness emergency suspicious behavior, such as erratic driving, loud threats or demands, or physical assaults should call 911 immediately.

By looking out for these suspicious activities, all base personnel will have a hand in preventing terrorist or criminal incidences from occurring on Camp Pendleton and other installations, Frenchlujan said.

To contact the Eagle Eyes hotline, call (760) 725-EYES or 763-EYES (3937). For Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, select option 1. In an emergency situation, call 911 for assistance.

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