BOLLING AFB, D.C. -- Have you ever noticed street signs in neighborhoods that say, "WARNING! Neighborhood Watch -- We Look Out For Each Other"? 

If you have, it's a comforting feeling knowing your neighbors are looking out for suspicious people and activities. It's also a comforting thought to know that all it takes is a phone call to report suspicious events. 

The Air Force has its own version of the Neighborhood Watch program. 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 Air Force program is so popular, the Department of Defense has adopted its own version of Eagle Eyes. 

It starts with teaching people about the typical activities terrorists engage in to plan their attacks. Armed with this information, anyone can recognize elements of potential terror planning when they see it. The program also provides a network of local, 24-hour phone numbers to call whenever a suspicious activity is observed. You and your family are encouraged to learn the categories of suspicious behavior and how to report it. 

The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is a strong proponent of the Eagle Eyes program to help deter threats to our most critical assets: personnel and resources. AFOSI's Washington Field Office upholds the Eagle Eyes program with vigilance. Their job is to be the safety net around the community and protect it from those who would do it harm. 

But the AFOSI agents can't do it alone; they need the "eyes" and "ears" of each member of the Air Force community. You, your co-workers, your family and your friends can all be a member of the Eagle Eyes program. You know what items and activities belong -- and what doesn't -- around the base and within your community. You can spot an unfamiliar face, an unusual car or an activity that just seems out of place near your work center or your base facilities. 

AFOSI's Washington Field Office has taken the Eagle Eyes program into the community surrounding Bolling AFB to brief local churches, schools, civic groups and city councils, creating a unique partnership where each entity watches out for the other. It's a "win-win" situation for everyone. 

Learning and using the seven steps of the Eagles Eyes program can help prevent terrorist attacks from occurring here, where you and your family work and live. 

1. Recognize Surveillance methods: taking notes, using binoculars, recording video, writing on maps and sketching diagrams can all contribute to methods of observation. 

2. Beware of Elicitation: A friendly gentleman at lunch notices you are in your military uniform and starts asking questions about your job. He wants to know details about when you and your co-workers arrive or leave work, how many people are in the squadron, your boss' name, and when is your next TDY. Answering specific questions in a social situation are signs that you might be undergoing elicitation. 

3. Notice Tests of security: How tall is the fence around the flight line? How hard do I have to pull on that door marked "Employees Only" to get in? How easily could I get on base with a fake ID? These are a few questions that a terrorist might ask himself as he attempts to enter secured locations. 

4. Observe Acquiring of supplies: Keep an eye out for items that turn up missing in your work center. Controlled items that are missing might seem like no big deal, but one missing BDU blouse might be the final step for a terrorist to enter the base. 

5. Suspicious persons out of place: A person who seems out of place in your work area, neighborhood or anywhere on base should be checked out. If you notice a person hiding in a closet in the work center, that is definitely a fishy sign! 

6. Dry runs: A dry run is a dress rehearsal to make sure all plans are in place. Testing the length of traffic lights, driving to the desired location at different times of the day, and timing how quickly certain tasks are completed are all signs that someone is making a dry run. 

7. Deploying assets: This is when people and supplies are getting into place or when they are ready to go. If the dry run is the dress rehearsal, then deploying the assets is the actual performance. 

If you would like OSI to provide a briefing to your unit on base or at one of your community activities, please contact your local AFOSI office. 

Be on the lookout! Use these steps and join the anti-terrorism team of Eagle Eyes for your installation. 

WATCH for suspicious behavior. 

REPORT what you see. 

PROTECT by observation and action.