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NEWS | Jan. 26, 2007

Airmen learn tools to travel outside US

By William Torian 316th Wing Antiterrorism Office

The Global War on Terrorism has transformed the way the Air Force prepares and executes the mission.

It has also changed the way members of the Department of Defense should prepare for any travel, official or unofficial, outside the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii or United States possessions.

Deployment, temporary duty and permanent change of station moves, during official travel, are well regimented and encompass all the requirements necessary to travel outside the United States, but what about personal, or unofficial, travel plans? Who is responsible for ensuring a servicemember has fulfilled the necessary requirements to travel outside the United States?

The answer is simple, the servicemember is responsible for complying with several requirements.

AFI 36-3003, Military Leave Program, paragraph 4.8.4., instructs members to comply with foreign government procedures as required by the Department of Defense Foreign Clearance Guide, to include any DoD Travel Security Advisories. The Foreign Clearance Guide may be accessed at https://www.fcg.pentagon.mil/ fcg.cfm. Another helpful link is the Department of State Travel Guide at http://travel.state.gov/. These links provide valuable information concerning individual protective measures as well as the Force Protection Condition of the destination one is traveling to. In some cases, these guides will link between each other for specific requirements, and they will also link to a Combatant Command such as Pacific Command, European Command, etc., when that COCOM has additional requirements for personal unofficial travel into their area of responsibility.

It's essential that any military member contemplating unofficial travel outside of the United States consults the FCG as soon as possible in the very early planning stages, preferably at least 60 days prior to any travel.

Bottom line ... the world has changed, and the DoD has mandated that before traveling outside the friendly borders of the United States, Airmen are equipped to cope with these changes. For this reason, Antiterrorism Level 1 awareness training must be completed within the timeline, outlined in AFI 10-245, Antiterrorism Program. Currently, this training must be completed within 90 days prior to departure, said Tech. Sgt. Michael T. Towne, 316th Wing Installation Antiterrorism NCO. Family members are encouraged to complete AT Level 1 training as well. The training can be accessed from any computer at https://atlevel1.dtic.mil/at/.

Military members traveling outside the United States must also contact their local detachment of Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Andrews Airmen can contact the local detachment at 240-857-7201/7281 for a country-specific briefing once their travel and leave requests are approved, stated Master Sgt. Steven H. Pappas, 89th Operations Support Squadron Special Security Office NCOIC. Personnel indoctrinated in Sensitive Compartmented Information must contact their serving special security office for departure instructions and a debriefing upon return, said Sergeant Pappas. For questions about antiterrorism-related issues, contact the Installation Antiterrorism Office at 301-981-3682 for assistance.