The anti-terrorism training required of prospective command triad leadership impressed students of class 1802, who attended the Commander, Navy Installations Command Senior Shore Leadership Course, April 16 - May 4.

The Installation Commanding Officer Anti-Terrorism Course is Level III advanced AT training that has always been part of the Senior Shore Leadership Course and it is also available as an individual course from Fleet Forces Command.

Training provided by the ICOAT course is required for prospective commanding and executive officers, regional chiefs of staff, command master chiefs and senior enlisted advisors.

Anti-terrorism policy states it is the responsibility of commanders to authorize and enforce appropriate security measures and establish an AT program that is tailored to an installation's local conditions, terrorist threat and mission.

"As a triad you are doing this to get an appreciation of what the front line guy is going through," said Cmdr. Anthony Militello, executive officer, Naval Support Activity Washington.

According to the Navy's Anti-terrorism Program instruction, AT training helps to reduce vulnerability and mitigate terrorist acts against the Navy community, its people, installations and operational assets.

Students who take the ICOAT course are put through a video simulation to experience what it's like to be in the shoes of a security guard or part of a force protection team.

"We want them to understand how difficult it is, so we put through the simulator with scenarios that require split second decisions to decide whether to use deadly force or not," said Marc Glorioso, program manager for SSLC.

Anti-terrorism training is only a small portion of the 10-day SSLC course. Participants also learn about a range of topics, including, but not limited to: strategic business, personnel and environmental management, base operations and facilities management, budgeting, information security, strategic communications and public speaking. A bonus of the course is the opportunity for future command triads to review lessons learned from previous installation leaders.

For most of these senior officers and enlisted personal, many have never had an installation position in their entire career and it's like starting over, said Glorioso.

"Being a fleet operator, you see the world through a different lens - everything is just in place. I show up with my plane, I go fly, I go do what I do," said Militello. On the converse side of that, there's a whole lot of work that goes into making that happen, which is what we're learning right now with the SSLC course. Without this course, it's very difficult to get all that information in one spot.

Commander, Navy Installations Command is comprised of about 53,000 military and civilian personnel worldwide who are responsible for the operations, maintenance and quality of life programs to support the Navy's fleet, Sailors and their families.

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