MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- All Department of Defense and Status of Forces Agreement personnel 14 years or older need to start watching the news and reading the newspaper if they are interested in traveling to another country while stationed in Iwakuni.
Current events will play a key role in finding out what dangerous threats lie in that country, and whether or not travel there will be permitted.
"If an individual decides to take leave and travel to another country, then a force protection plan is required," said Master Sgt. Rodney Redmon, Station antiterrorism/force protection chief.
The information needed to fill out a force protection package can all be found on the intranet under AT/FP. According to Redmon, the first step to completing the package is to complete a standard force protection sheet, which states travel outside the 50-kilometer radius. The next step is to have a level one antiterrorism brief.
"I give the AT/FP brief every Monday at 8 a.m.
at Club Iwakuni, but you can also do it online also located on the intranet," said Redmon.
Once the paperwork and brief is complete, the force protection plans must be signed off, but Redmond said this is where travelers must pay attention.
"If a country is listed as force protection condition alpha, a command lieutenant colonel can approve the plan. For countries listed at FP condition bravo or charlie, a command colonel must approve the plan," he said. "Traveling to countries with PACOM (Pacific Command), the first flag officer (0-7 and above) must approve the plans."
After the plan is approved, a traveler must find out whether a theater clearance and amount of days notice is required. Redmon said some countries might require as much as 45 days of clearance lead time before entrance is permitted.
For Chief Petty Officer Chester Mallari, Station Harbor master, traveling to the Philippines to see his family keeps him posted to the news daily.
"The threat conditions can change any time. Recently, it changed in the Philippines due to the upcoming presidential elections. So, you need to keep track of what's going on," said Mallari.
An important tip Mallari keeps in mind when in another country is to blend into surroundings the best way possible.
"The mandatory AT/FP briefs officers provide you is important information," said Mallari. "You never know what could happen and you need to be prepared. If you follow the force protection plan accordingly, you should be just fine."
For more information regarding traveling to other countries, contact Redmon at 253-3471.