Current Department of Defense Entry Control Point Search Procedures and the Possible Breach of a Combat ECP with a Bioagent; A Preliminary Report of the Perceptions of Military Personnel

The U.S. military has numerous bases scattered all over the globe with these bases increasing following post 9/11 terrorist attack. Like every nation, each base has an Entry Control Point (ECP) with search procedures and practices to deter and prevent breaching. The question is how these various Department of Defense (DoD) ECPs tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) would, deter or prevent a breach by a terrorist –Human Borne with a Bioagent (HBBA). A cross, survey study was conducted to obtain perceptions from military personnel with combat experience in 2014. Results indicated majority of the respondents stated that these TTPs will not be effective or somewhat effective to identify nor prevent a HBBA terrorist at the ECP. Further analysis tends to indicate that while many of the respondents, strongly agree or agree that some of the TTPs practiced at the “Approach and Access Zones of the ECP would be effective against IEDs, 61.8% of respondents strongly disagree or disagree that the ECP TTP measures at the Approach zones, will be effective against HBBA. In addition, 23.1% were neutral on how “Speed mitigation procedures at the ECP will effectively prevent the breaching of an ECP by a terrorist carrying a BA (HBBA). In conclusion, over 50% of the respondents with combat experiences do not think the current DoD's ECP TTPs are effective in detecting, deterring or destroying a terrorist with a bioagent at the ECP. It will be best for the DoD to revisit its ECPs TTP for possible update, following the bioagents threats and the desire by terrorists group to obtain these agents.