Several U.S. military bases in European countries like Germany and Italy were put on an elevated security alert over the weekend. Bases such as the U.S. Army Garrison in Stuttgart, Germany, the U.S. Army’s Rheinland-Pfalz base, and the U.S. Army’s Ramstein Air Base were among those that were placed on a threat level of “Charlie,” as reported by Stars and Stripes. This action was taken after the U.S. European Command (EUCOM), headquartered in Stuttgart, raised the threat level to “Charlie.”
Other U.S. military bases, including the U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz’s base in Baumholder, Germany, as well as bases in Romania, Bulgaria, and the Aviano Air Base in Italy, also increased their threat level to “Charlie.” The Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany instructed military personnel not to wear their uniforms off base or while commuting to work. According to the U.S. Army’s website, Charlie is one of five security levels in the Force Protection Condition (FPCON). The lowest threat level is “Normal,” followed by “Alpha,” which is used when there is a heightened general threat of potential terrorist activity against personnel or facilities.
The third threat level is “Bravo,” which is applied when there is an increased or more predictable threat of terrorist activity. Next is “Charlie,” the second-highest threat level, which is used when an incident occurs or intelligence is received indicating that some form of terrorist action or targeting against personnel or facilities is likely. The highest threat level is “Delta,” which is implemented in the immediate area where a terrorist attack has taken place or when intelligence suggests that terrorist action against a specific location or individual is imminent.
EUCOM stated that it consistently evaluates various elements that could impact the security of the U.S. military personnel overseas. An American official mentioned that the present level of threat has not been observed for a minimum of a decade, as reported by CNN.
