MILITARY SECURITY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MILITARY SECURITY - Essay Example Both these military engagements are more similar to each other than to conventional warfare; once the bases are established in a foreign nation, a guerrilla war usually ensues much similar to a local insurgency. Military security can further be categorized in respect of its needs in and outside a military base. This categorization is based on the security dynamics of defending a stronghold and escorting a moving vehicle, crowd or even protecting civilian infrastructure. Both are essential for a military force to dominate; having a secure military base is not enough for a military to be considered successful when it is being harassed by a much smaller force in hit and run attacks. Bloody, city wide, offensives often cause millions to displace. Though this helps secure the city, the consequences are not pleasant for the security in the long term. Once the population returns to the war struck region, it is easy for the insurgents to mix up in the civilian population to infiltrate. This is a significant security challenge for the military. Wadhams reports in The Cincinnati Post, in 2004, of an insurgent infiltrating a fully guarded US security base that was protected by barbed wires and blast walls at Mosul and setting of one of the deadliest explosions. Under such circumstances, security measures often keep on changing to meet the dynamic needs. Adaptability is an essential in ‘fluid situations’, 1st Sgt. Steve Valley is reported to have said in the same report. Suicide attacks change the whole nature of security dynamics as the attacker aims to kill himself in the attack. For the conventional and nuclear warfare, the security of the personnel and equipment is foreseeable but for terrorist attacks, knowing what the enemy is capable of is solely dependent upon previous encounters and intelligence. Pappalardo (2004) reports in â€Å"National Defense† about US military as bases being equipped with chemical and biological detectors as a precaution against attacks from weapons of mass destruction. Security of military bases in the current situation is much sophisticated, especially when it comes to the smaller installations; they rely on first responders and outside help unlike the major ones which have coordination with the local authorities, be it in an occupied territory or in the home country. As the requirement puts it, smaller bases are much more in number and raise the need for sufficient security for undisrupted operations so that they can continue to operate in balance with survival and mission success. Kemp (2008) lists a series of security measures used in protecting the bases in his report on base protection in Armada International. With sufficiently trained personnel, the security measures can range from deploying simple sandbags, screens to disrupt direct line of sight, barriers and fortifications to all weather sensors, patrolling systems, anti personnel mines, counter rocket and mortar systems (C-Ram) and a com mand and control system. Intruder alarms and alertness is the key to defusing any grave situations in event of an attack. Dunigan (2011) highlights the peak utilization of private military security contractors in Victory for Hire: Private Security Companies' Impact on Military Effectiveness. This takes off the load of training and recruiting from the military and allows the military to focus