USMEPCOM Conducts Anti-Terrorism Training

By Danielle Lieber

The United States Military Entrance Processing Command conducted its first Anti-Terrorism Officer Basic Course at its headquarters in North Chicago, Illinois, Nov. 26-30, 2018.

The 37 attendees, each assigned as a MEPS Anti-Terrorism Officer, represent 17 Western Sector Military Entrance Processing Stations and 18 Eastern Sector MEPS, were joined by two headquarters staff members. All are learning skills to help make their stations less vulnerable to terrorist or criminal activities.

The team of four instructors, three retired Army senior noncommissioned officers and one active duty staff sergeant are assigned to the Anti-Terrorism Division, U.S. Army Military Police School, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. They and are accredited by the Department of Defense.

The weeklong course included both classroom instruction and practical exercises. Attendees learned how to deter and mitigate threats and analyze information about criminal or possible terrorist activity, in addition to determining how susceptible a given building is to rifle fire, vehicle borne explosives, insider threats or cyber threats.

“They’ll be able to take what they learn here back to their MEPS and advise their commanders on security issues,” Odis Stroud of the Human Resources Directorate (J-1) Programs Division said. Stroud organized and coordinated the training event.