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What Should I Know About Force-Protection Levels?

18 October 2016 by Brianna Cole

As someone living in the United States, you may be accustomed to hearing things about security levels, or Force Protection levels. For the most part, when most people hear an announcement on the news that the security level is at yellow, they understand that we are at some level of security that is connected to a possible terror threat. What most people do not know is what that yellow code means, or what any of the codes mean for that matter. Here are the actual Force-Protection levels and what you need to know about each one.

What Are the Levels?

There are five levels of Force-Protection Conditions. These are also known as FPCON on new programs and in military circles. The lowest of the levels is green, which means no threat. The highest of the levels is Delta, which is signified by the color red and relates to a specific localized threat. The levels may change based on terrorist activity or suspected activity. For example, you may see the level raised during times of the year or holidays when suspected terrorist activity may be higher, such as the Christian holiday of Christmas or national events such as Independence Day.

What Happens As the Level Is Heightened?

As the Force-Protection levels are raised, one of the most noticeable changes is seen on military bases. If you live or work on a military base, then you will notice checkpoints becoming stricter about who is allowed on post and what information needs to be presented to access the base. You may also find that a low level of condition will mean your car being checked for basic items such as the tag and anything that may look odd or out of place. In a higher level of Force Protection, you may find the checkpoint guards asking you to step out of the car to have it completely and thoroughly searched while your license, registration, and insurance information is checked. If the level is high enough, or the threat is localized near the base, then you may find that the base is on lockdown and that only those living or working on base may enter or exit, if they are allowed to at all.

Does a Terrorist Attack Have to Happen for the Levels to Change?

There is a common misconception that if the level changes, that means the United States is under an actual terrorist attack. As mentioned before, sometimes the levels are changed because of an upcoming event that may cause a higher level of threat. In some cases, this is not due to a holiday but to intelligence that the Department of Defense receives that indicates the levels and anti-terrorist security should be higher. However, at the highest level, known as Delta, the threat is real and happening. For example, 9/11 would be considered a situation where Delta would have been in effect.

These are just the three main things that people living in the United States should know about the various Force-Protection levels. You can check with the Department of Defense for specific tactics that may be used in your area should a higher level of threat be put into effect.

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