NCJ Number
189707
Date Published
2001
Length
8 pages
Annotation
The report's recommendations are designed to improve the military's antiterrorism/force protection capabilities.
Abstract
The attack on the USS Cole in the port of Aden, Yemen, demonstrated a seam in the fabric to protect forces, namely in-transit forces. To improve organization among offices and agencies in the Department of Defense (DOD), the Secretary of Defense should more cohesively align policy and resources within DOD to combat terrorism and designate an Assistant Secretary of Defense to oversee these functions; and coordinate with the Secretary of State to develop an approach with shared responsibilities to enhance host nation security capabilities that result in increased security for transiting forces. To improve antiterrorism protection, the Secretary of Defense should augment security for transiting forces, assess security of routes, identify near-term antiterrorism equipment and technology requirements and techniques that will deter terrorists, reassess current procedures that antiterrorism principles are applied to intra-theater transiting units, institutionalize an operational risk management model, and identify rapid team response team requirements. To improve intelligence, the Secretary of Defense should ensure that forces are adequately funded to make maximum use of intelligence procedures and ensure counterintelligence organizations are adequately staffed and funded. To improve logistics, the Secretary of Defense should update respective logistics doctrine to incorporate antiterrorism considerations for transiting units and incorporate antiterrorism concerns into the entire fabric of logistics support. To improve training, the Secretary of Defense should develop credible deterrence standards, techniques and procedures for all forms of transiting forces; consolidate and develop a single repository for all antiterrorism lessons learned; and continually update training tools.