Increased terrorist threat level prompts JBLM to beef up security
May 8, 2015, 1:15 PM | Updated: 2:56 pm
Concerns over ISIS threats in the United States have forced military bases to heighten security. (AP)
(AP)
Concerns over ISIS threats in the United States have forced military bases to heighten security.
Though he couldn’t discuss too many specifics, Joint Base Lewis-McChord spokesperson Joe Kubistek confirmed the base has beefed up security.
“Some of the measures we take may be visible, while other measures may not be quite as visible,” he said.
Kubistek did say the base is doing more at the gate, including “increased” identification checks.
“Things of that nature,” he said.
The increase in security follows FBI Director James Comey’s announcement on Thursday night. According to Comey, there are hundreds of investigations related to ISIS going on in the United States, CNN reports.
The threat level is at “Force Protection Bravo,” defined as when an increased or more predictable threat or terrorist activity exists. It is the third highest threat on a five-tier scale used by the U.S. Department of Defense.
The threat level wasn’t raised due to a specific threat, according to the Department of Defense. It was raised because of a “general environment of heightened threats.”
“This is the new normal,” spokesman Air Force Master Sgt. Chuck Marsh said in a press release.
The last time the threat level was raised was in 2011, in preparation for the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
