Eagle Eyes: Stay vigilant Published March 4, 2009 By Tech. Sgt. Joseph Kapinos 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- As a result of the 9-11 terrorist attack, the Air Force implemented an anti-terrorism program called "Eagle Eyes," which is run by the Air Force Office of Investigations. Much like a neighborhood watch program, Eagle Eyes is an aggressive Air Force-wide neighborhood watch program that educates people on observable activities and what to do if they see something suspicious. The motto for Eagle Eyes is "Watch. Report. Protect." "Eagle Eyes enlists the help of base personnel and the civilian communities surrounding the base to remain vigilant and keep their eyes and ears open to any suspicious activities," said Agent Jacob Tudor, Incirlik OSI Det. 522. "The 2001 attack did not spontaneously happen. There were precursor events that eventually led to the attack. These terrorists conducted surveillance, planned their attacks and rehearsed the operation," added Agent Tudor. Lessons learned in the federal law enforcement and intelligence communities played a key role in the development of Eagle Eyes. "Of most importance, we learned that every terrorist act is preceded by observable activities. These activities usually included surveillance, elicitation for information, tests of security, acquiring certain supplies, a dry run - practicing the terrorist act and deploying the assets to commit the act," said Agent Tudor. "Once the assets are deployed to commit the attack, it is almost too late to prevent the act from occurring." OSI Det. 522 agents are out on the streets daily briefing Eagle Eyes information not only to the base community, but also to local vendors and companies that may be of interest to a terrorist. Through education, it is possible to train individuals on how to help prevent a terrorist attack from occurring. "When the community is aware of pre-attack indicators, they can play a vital role in deterring a potential attack," Agent Tudor said. Once a potential indicator is observed, it is reported to OSI through various channels. OSI then investigates the reported activity. By reaching out to Air Force members, their families and the local community through education briefings and word of mouth, incidents are reported in a timely manner. By reporting these incidents, potential criminal or terrorist plots have been foiled. "Through education, we believe many incidents can be easily avoided. Simple things like not leaving valuables such as your military identification card, military uniforms or deployment gear in your vehicles can prevent a potential terrorist activity from occurring," said Agent Tudor. Law enforcement officials, to include OSI agents, cannot be everywhere at all times. "The Eagle Eyes program relies on you to be vigilant," Agent Tudor said. "Only you know your neighborhood.