Eagle Eyes program elicits help from base, community

Published Sept. 6, 2006
By Airman 1st Class Erica Stewart
30th Space Wing Public Affairs

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Nearly five years after 9/11, the threat of terrorism still rings hard in the ears of Americans; especially with more sophisticated weapons and deadly terrorist attack plans being foiled.

The Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 804 here encourages every military member and civilian employee to participate in the Eagle Eyes program.

According to the official OSI Web site, the Eagle Eyes program is an anti-terrorism initiative that enlists the eyes and ears of Air Force members and citizens in the war on terror.

The program's name was derived from OSI's motto, "Eyes of the Eagle," and since Aug. 1, 1948, OSI has been the eyes and ears of the Air Force.

"The Eagle Eyes program is just like a global neighborhood \watch program," said OSI Special Agent Steve Houghton, OSI Detachment 804.

The program uses a channel reporting process that allows military and civilians to report suspicious activity on or around base.

The Threat and Local Observation Notice, or TALON, is the reporting process adopted by the Eagle Eyes program to share reports of ambiguous activity. The TALON applies to seven reporting categories: nonspecific threats, surveillance, elicitation, test of security, unusual repetitive activity, bomb threats and other suspicious activity.

According to the OSI, when Airmen and citizens know what to Eagle Eyes program elicits help from base, community look for and how to report suspicious activity, terrorist acts can be prevented.

The OSI defines suspicious behavior as, "People who don't seem to belong in the workplace, neighborhood, business establishment or anywhere else."

Eagle Eyes give base residents an opportunity to report those discrepancies.

"If a person notices a suspicious van parked outside the main gate taking photographs they can call and make a TALON report," Agent Houghton said. "That way the information can be put into a database and teamed against other reports to show a pattern and possible threat."

For more information on the Eagle Eyes program or to make a TALON report, call the Air Force OSI detachment 804 here at 606-1852.