Posted by
EWRoss on Monday, January 18, 2010 7:00:00 AM
DoD
released its report on the Fort Hood Shootings last week, "Protecting the Force:
Lessons from Fort Hood." The independent review headed by
former Army Secretary Togo West and former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral
(Ret.)Vern Clark is enlightening.
As
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said in his press conference when he released
the report, DoD's policies and procedures for dealing with internal threats is
still rooted in the Cold-War. He acknowledged that DoD has to change and make
them more relevant to the threats posed by people like the "alleged perpetrator,"
referring to Major Nidal Malik Hasan.
The
report's 47 findings and recommendations address shortcomings in DoD's
personnel policies, force protection, emergency response, and support to DoD
healthcare providers. Like the 9/11 Commission Report this one should go a long
way toward correcting the problems and mistakes it highlights.
One
recommendation in particular caught my attention, and, I believe, has great
saliency for those outside DoD charged with protecting us from terrorists.
Finding
3.7 states, "DoD installation access control systems and processes do not
incorporate behavioral screening strategies and capabilities, and are not
configured to detect an insider threat." and "Detecting a trusted
insider's intention to commit a violent act requires observation of behavioral
cues/anomalies."
It
only sounds logical to me that if behavioral screening will detect people like
Hasan we should use it to detect people like the underwear bomber. Are
terrorists attempting to surreptitiously board commercial airliners not insider
threats? I hope Secretary Gates sends Janet Napolitano a copy.
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