MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- In today’s world, many threats around us remain at large. However, the Corps is currently promoting a program which can help prevent these offenses. That program is called Eagle Eyes.
Eagle Eyes is a website designed to serve as a terrorism and terrorism-related crime “neighborhood watch” program created to promote community awareness and involvement.
It enables service members on and off the Combat Center with the ability to identify preliminary indicators of a potential attack and report them.
“The purpose of Eagle Eyes is to ensure the community knows what to look for and how to report suspicious activity,” said Michael Burns, Combat Center force protection supervisor, G-7 Mission Assurance. “With a well-informed community, terrorist or criminal acts can be deterred, detected, or defeated.”
According to Burns, the Department of Homeland Security created the program to raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crimes, and to emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the proper authorities. Both the Marine Corps and Air Force use Eagle Eyes, which is similar to IWatch, a program used by the U.S. Army.
Through an Eagle Eyes report, we can go out and investigate suspicious individuals or activities, said Maj. Kim Keefer, Provost Marshal, Provost Marshal’s Office.
For all those aboard the Combat Center, Eagle Eyes aims to enhance security awareness and improve the understanding of terrorist and criminal pre-attack surveillance and intelligence collection operations.
“It’s a great tool,” Keefer said. “(Eagle Eyes) comes down to someone seeing anything that seems suspicious or out of place, and reporting it.”
Burns claims it is essential for everyone to understand that reports made on Eagle Eyes can really prevent a terrorist or major criminal attack.
“With these additional ‘eyes and ears’ in and around the Combat Center, it could provide an increased level of situational awareness for our local law enforcement and Mission Assurance personnel,” Burns said. “If you have a gut feeling that something seems out of place, click it and report it.”
To report any suspicious activity, visit the website at www.usmceagleeyes.org or call the hotline at (760) 830-EYES (3937)