[Sca-cooks] OT - threat levels was ( Is everyone OK?)

[Decker, Terry D.]

I'm not up on the current post-Cold War military levels, but they are
probably based on the DEFCON (Defense Condition) levels.  Delta would
probably equate to DEFCON 4 and Bravo would probably equate to DEFCON 2.

DEFCON 5 is normal.

DEFCON 4 calls for increased intelligence and security.  IDs are checked,
vehicles may be searched.  Passive intercept in high threat areas, fire if
fired upon.

DEFCON 3 calls for force readiness.  Ready crews on active alert status.
Available personnel placed on ready status.  Active intercept in high threat
areas, fire at the commander's discretion.  When SAC was operating first
strike bombers would go airborne.

DEFCON 2 is increased force readiness.  All personnel on alert status.
Personnel on leave recalled.  Total lockdown on military posts.  And in high
threat areas, anything that looks like trouble may get smoked.

DEFCON 1 is maximum force readiness, which is a euphemism for "awaiting the
formal go to war order."

EMERGCON designates response to an ICBM attack.  Missle forces are "at war."
All other forces are at DEFCON 1.


As examples, during the Cuban Missle Crisis, SAC and European forces were at
DEFCON 2, all other forces were at DEFCON 3.  For the 1973 Yom Kippur War,
US Airborne forces were bivouacked in tents along there airfields waiting to
provide "armed interdiction" (a real joke when faced off against infantry
supported armor divisions), but the across the board it was DEFCON 3.

Bear


> >The military around here has gone to a threatcon level of
> either the delta or
> >bravo level.  At Andrews AFB, the airbase is frozen-in that
> no one can leave and
> >no one can enter unless they are on active duty.
>
> For those of us not in the military, could you explain what
> the various threatcom
> levels are? No-one on the news channels have had the time to, yet. . .
>
> Alban